Road to Redemption
by formerAnnie
Summary: Sheena Lerann, fallen Jedi Knight, dared to rebel against her Sith masters. She saved the life of one Obi-Wan Kenobi, when even Fate demanded his death, and paid for it. She failed the Order, her assassination assignment, and herself. The Rebel scum think they can save her. Fools.
1. Orders

Hello and welcome to _Road to Redemption_! This story is a partial sequel to _Return to the Unknown_ ; however, it is being written so that reading the previous story is not required. I have a poll on my profile to gauge interest in my potential stories to publish, so please do take a peek at that. Reviews are always welcome to develop my writing skills! Enjoy!

Orders

Blackness. Cold, hard, clammy blackness. Nothing else existed. Small miracles. Maybe they would just leave her here and forget that she ever existed. Forget that she had let Obi-Wan Kenobi run free when Fate demanded that he die.

They had tortured her. Forced her to torment others. She was good at it. Too good. They had deprived her of everything. All hope.

In the icy blackness, the former Jedi Knight shivered helplessly on the floor, her back pressed against the chilled wall for some vestige of support. She no longer had the will to even try warming herself. The threadbare tunic that clung to her scarred body wouldn't have done anything, even if it hadn't been drenched with her own clammy sweat.

She bent her head down, giving in to the darkness, empty of hope and fear – an old trick. Maybe they would forget. Maybe they would let her die quietly without continuing to impress upon her how she had betrayed everything, had nothing left – how no one would ever come to save her. It was the Purge all over again.

Over a decade had passed since she had locked herself in cryogenic rock to avoid capture after Order 66 – on the run from the Empire and unable to contact any old Jedi friends. About two decades since she had been forced to fight her comrades-in-arms, the clones. A last-ditch effort of defiance. But _he_ had found her. She didn't have the strength to fight him. She was a slave. Then, the Death Star was completed. Obi-Wan had been there for a brief time and she had accepted her fate. She saved him and was prepared for Vader to land the killing blow in retribution. It never came. _This_ came. This _hell_.

How many had she killed since then? Before, she had been able to justify her actions by telling herself it was distracting the Emperor from Master Kenobi and Luke after she found out about the boy's existence on Tatooine. Now, she had saved them and sent them on their way; her job of keeping the galaxy's savior safe was over. She was ready to sacrifice her life. Instead, she only took more lives. Pointless lives. The eyes of the dead bored into her soul, asking why, accusing her. Any rays of hope or salvation had long died out. She was a servant of the Emperor. A pawn of the Dark Side. And the slave of her own mistakes and pain.

It seemed so long ago that she wandered the halls of the great Jedi Temple. She had gone back there during her last mission – tracking down an old Padawan who had long evaded the Purge. She remembered staring in awe at the great pillars between missions. The light. The breeze. The peace. Seeing Master Yoda or Master Skywalker passing through on their way to a meeting… So long ago, yet so…painfully fresh. She could still smell the burning bodies of the Jedi that had been cut down in those halls of safety and tossed into a smoking, rotting pile. Forgotten.

The prisoner squeezed her eyes shut as agonizing memories of dead Younglings and attacking commandos struggled to the forefront of her mind. Her friends, her colleagues, all the people she cared about…she was glad they were gone. They would be ashamed of her now, and the potential hope that had been taken. She had heard that so many of them died heroes and martyrs – brave souls. Anakin had sacrificed himself to save the Younglings…or so she had thought for a few years until…until she herself had already become a monster. They were both monsters now.

Too late for salvation. Too late for hope. Only the cold, clammy darkness. She remembered the day Sidious first claimed her loyalty…and how exactly he provoked her fealty. Her only comfort and her one secret was that she could protect Luke and Obi-Wan from the eyes of the Empire. She had succeeded, and now he knew her secret; now, she didn't even have that. She was losing that one ray of hope, now that Luke was safely with the Rebels and following his training. Sidious was sure to crush that last ray of goodness before even beginning to trust her again. The galaxy now had hope; she had none. She felt sucked dry – an empty, scarred husk with only her Master's whims to direct her hollow, hateful gaze. A beaten dog.

There was a metallic _chink_ and the door slid open, allowing the blinding white light and a stinging wave of warm air. She looked up with bloodshot eyes through her stringy black bangs at the two blurry shadows before her. A set of dark robes was dropped on the floor at her feet, followed by the smooth, curved hilt of her lightsaber.

"You are going to escape," the crackling, filtered voice commanded. She winced as the directive grated in her ears. "You will flee to the Rebels. You will kill Obi-Wan Kenobi. And you will _not_ fail."

The smaller shadow crouched to her eye-level with a toothy, yellow grin and a ghostly stare. He paused with a mask of pity and sincerity. He had broken her. And he knew it. He gloated over it. The woman who should have aided his downfall was now his plaything.

"Do you…understand…Sheena?" She hated this. She hated him. She hated herself. "Well?" he probed sharply.

Her cracked lips parted just enough to respond.

"Yes, Master."

* * *

No tracking device. No partner. No followers. Just as they said. She had dressed in her fitted black and grey robes, made her way to the exit, and stolen a fighter with lightspeed capability. No one in her way. No one keeping an eye on her. Only because they knew she had no choice.

Out of habit, the released prisoner hopped around to a few different systems to throw any followers, but there wasn't really a point. The Force was guiding her. At one point, she found herself floating over Tatooine; but there was nothing for her there now. Her last stop was the Anoat sector. She dropped out of lightspeed and coasted along, vaguely aware of her need for fuel, but she wasn't concerned. Especially when a large scout cruiser suddenly appeared overhead, demanding that she stand down and board, or be blown out of the sky.

As she slid stiffly down from her fighter's cockpit, the woman found herself surrounded by Rebel scum. She could have killed them all easily. She heard one of them order to meet up with another cruiser for a prisoner transfer. They would bring her right where she needed to be. The second someone recognized her, there would be one person they would call on. Someone whose life she had saved for their pitiful cause: Obi-Wan Kenobi.

* * *

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	2. Rotted Legacy

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Rotted Legacy

Cells. Why always cells? Why couldn't someone try stashing her in a cozy suite for once? The prisoner sluggishly observed the small metallic room with its sealed door. While there was a cot nearby, the Rebels had elected to tie her hand and foot to the metal chair in the middle of the floor. Clearly, they intended for this to be temporary. Probably.

No one had spoken to her during the entire trip to her momentary chamber. They didn't want any funny business, and they seemed bent on getting her to a more secure location.

The door abruptly glided open, revealing a minor officer carrying a small tray of food and water. Sheena barely glanced at either, choosing to study the hem of her own pant leg. The other woman dropped the tray on the table at the prisoner's side, cut the rope holding her right wrist with her knife, and leaned against the door while sheathing her blade. Sheena took her time in making eye contact with the pretty blonde.

"My name's Kyra." The officer paused pointedly, waiting to see if Sheena would reciprocate. She shrugged when the prisoner remained dully mute. "We know you're not a normal scout – we've been deflecting those for months – but I admit that you have us a bit stumped on who you actually are. Did the Empire send you? Perhaps you're an escaped prisoner? We _have_ been hearing bits about a break-out a few days ago."

Kyra paused again, but she wasn't at all flustered at the continued lack of a response. The other woman appeared to be fairly young, but sharp. She wore her uniform comfortably. Humming her realization of the state of this conversation, she pushed herself away from the wall to put her hair in a ponytail, continuing to talk as she fixed her bangs.

"I cut that rope on purpose, ya know. Feel free to untie the others and get some food in you. I promise they didn't lace it with sedatives. We don't trust you enough for that; if we want to drug you, you'll know it."

The prisoner remained silent and Kyra sighed, reaching for the door.

"All right. I'll be back later if you wanna talk some more. Oh, and please don't bother trying to escape. Our security's pretty tight, and I'm not in the mood for the paperwork."

* * *

Lieutenant Kyra let her feet slide to the floor from her security station and straightened her jacket as she stood. An hour was sufficient to go back and talk with the prisoner, right? She walked across the bridge, but paused by the navigation specialist.

"How long until our rendezvous?"

"Just over an hour. Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

Her fellow officer shifted to look at her straight on, fascinated curiosity plain on his face.

"The records we found. Is she really a Jedi? The traitor who supposedly saved Master Obi-Wan Kenobi's life on the Death Star?"

"She has shown no inclination of using the Force…but yes. All of the records I can find thus far indicate that it's her. And then there's the lightsaber that she just… _handed_ over. Even if she refuses to talk, I'm sure Master Kenobi and Commander Skywalker can shed some light on the subject."

"Not lettin' this one go, are you?" the man smirked as Kyra departed for the brig.

Ten minutes later, she opened the cell door cautiously, expecting to find the prisoner asleep or preparing an escape attempt. Not so.

Not only was the tray of food and water utterly untouched, but the woman hadn't even bothered untying the rest of her ropes. She stared up at the security officer through her limp, unwashed ebony bangs.

"I told you that food wasn't drugged," Kyra whimpered, feigning momentary insult. "It hurts to think you didn't trust me at my word." The corner of Sheena's lips twitched upward at the crack for the briefest of moments. Kyra had the feeling that, if circumstances were different, she'd like to befriend this traitor. But she was a Rebel fighter now, not a wanderer looking for her next bounty. Determined to get this lady to say _something_ , the lieutenant pulled up the spare chair and sat down with her legs crossed. "We're not the Empire; we're not going to torture you within an inch of your life…especially given the fact that you saved the life of one of the very few Jedi left in existence." Well, at least that caught her interest. "What confuses me is your track record…Master Sheena Lerann."

The prisoner suddenly grasped the arms of her chair with a death-grip and she went back to studying her pant leg. So, she had hit a nerve. Smirking, Kyra opened the file in the datapad she had brought along, skimming through the reports. She couldn't let the Rebel leaders have all the fun of finding this woman's motive. Unless she was transferred off the ship, her opportunity to investigate was about to go out the airlock.

"You used to be a Jedi Knight, but you disappeared after the Purge, having caused quite a bit of trouble for the Empire. Then you show up as the Emperor's bloodhound about four years ago, terrorize the galaxy's citizens for a while; and _then_ you face off with _Vader_ to ensure the escape of the people and information that have given us the greatest advantage we've had in two decades. Now, here you are.

"I'm guessing the Emperor wasn't too pleased that you stopped Vader from killing Master Kenobi. We're searching your fighter for trackers, but I have a feeling they're not gonna find any. It appears that you're on the run, but…the Emperor wouldn't let you get away that easy. After all your experience, you wouldn't be dumb enough to be captured by the Rebels like this. Unless… Unless you _wanted_ to be captured. What made you like this? Why would you side with the Emperor and then risk your life for their most renowned living target?"

Sheena's eyes suddenly locked with her own, a strange intensity behind that gaze – painful and desperate. Lieutenant Kyra massaged her temples as her vision flickered for a moment; maybe she shouldn't have skipped lunch. But a missed meal wasn't her problem. A moment later, the officer was holding her head with both hands as pain shot through her temples and the world spun in circles. She thought she was seeing another room – spacious and dark with an occupied throne. She snapped back to reality just long enough to hear Sheena's dry, low voice growl,

"I've killed people. Innocent people. You really want to know _why_?"

 _Back in that dark room, Lieutenant Kyra found herself completely incapable of controlling her body. She stood helplessly before a hooded figure sitting on the throne, with Darth Vader towering at his side. She felt nauseous, angry, terrified as the last of a strange woman's screams echoed through the room._

" _You have a choice, Sheena," the Emperor – it had to be the Emperor – croaked. "You can continue to play the hero, kill me, and die before you can even think about leaving this place; remain silent, let your friend be tortured to death, and face the guilt for the rest of your life; or…" A door opened on the far side of the room and a few guards appeared, dragging a female Twi-lek between them. "…land the final stroke yourself – make it a quick end – and live to fight another day."_

 _In the blink of an eye, the Twi-lek was curled up at her feet, screaming herself hoarse as Lightning shot from the Emperor's fingertips._

 _Kyra still couldn't move, being force to glare at the wall; but, as a strand of black hair fell in front of her eyes, the reality hit her: Sheena was forcing her to see one of her memories. Somehow. Kyra was merely an unwilling audience member. At least, that's what she thought. But why?_

 _Her jaw felt like it was going to break from Sheena's determination to remain impassive. With Vader staring her down, she was painfully aware that she couldn't do anything to stop the screams. Everything went black as her eyes closed and her ears continued to be assaulted by the ringing cries of agony. She could feel Sheena's helplessness._

 _ **There is no emotion, there is peace,**_ _Sheena's cooing thoughts resounded as she desperately tried to cling to her sanity. This internal voice was much different than the gravelly snarl the present Sheena had produced – mellow, queenly, motherly._

 _ **There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.**_

 _A single tear escaped down Sheena's cheek, making a slow, salty southern descent. She opened her eyes to find a lightsaber hovering at eye level. She didn't know whether that was her doing or that of one of her captors. But it was right there. Kyra panicked as she realized the choice that Sheena was facing. And the choice she was about to make._

 _ **There is no passion, there is serenity.**_

 _The screams. The barrage of endless screams! When would it end? Utter despair and guilt enveloped her. But her weapon was there. She could end it._

 _ **There is no chaos, there is harmony.**_

 _She grasped the lightsaber gently, and Lightning and screams suddenly stopped. A choice had been made._

 _ **There is no death, there is the Force.**_

 _"Sheena…" The Twi'lek half-sobbed, half-whispered. She must have been a Jedi. They must have been friends. "No…"_

"There are no _choices_ ," Sheena muttered, still scowling at a wide-eyed Kyra as the Rebel found herself back in her own body on the ship where she served. But the mental vice of the Jedi wasn't relenting so easily. Kyra could sense that same hatred in the woman's eyes, just as fresh as that day she had killed her own comrade. The connection was so strong…

 _Now she was pinned to a table with the Emperor grinning down at her again. She didn't have time to analyze the situation before the Lightning hit her. Excruciating. Mind-shattering. Draining._

"Lieutenant!"

Three guards called out to their superior officer as they burst through the door, having been on their way to retrieve the prisoner. The tendrils that had been wrapping themselves around Kyra's mind started to slide away, but the memories remained. The memories of killing and torture. As the guards prepared to sedate the prisoner, her eyes remained locked on Lieutenant Kyra. The intensity was gone and once more replaced by bored emptiness.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance," Sheena whispered as they injected the sedative.

"Why are you here?" Kyra insisted.

"To kill Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Well, this is an interesting development. Lieutenant." The ship's second-in-command suddenly appeared in the doorway just as Sheena lost consciousness; Kyra snapped to attention under the man's hard gaze. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you. I'm sorry for my distraction. Won't happen again."

The other officer waved aside her apology.

"Well, we now know for certain that she can use the Force. I'm guessing that's what that mind-meld thing was just now?"

"I believe so, sir." Kyra relaxed and shook her head in confusion. "She was trying to make me understand something. I was trying to figure out why she served the Emperor, yet saved Master Kenobi. She made me see two encounters she had with the Emperor." Her superior raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "One when she was just being tortured; in the other, she was forced to kill another Jedi to keep her from being shocked to death. I would just love to know more."

"Hm. Hopefully, we'll have those answers soon. _Without_ you being trapped in that woman's memories. Commander Skywalker will want your report. We'll continue our patrol and plan to meet up with you during the next rendezvous."

"Yes, sir." Her attention snapped to the guards. "Transfer the prisoner to the command ship. Straight to the brig. Take no chances."

* * *

"Is Commander Skywalker back from his scouting mission yet? Good. Lieutenant Kyra will be wanting to give her report as soon as possible." _Commander_ already, eh? If she took him out in addition to Kenobi, her reward would be… Sheena shook herself as she registered the thoughts trickling through her foggy mind. "They really think it's her, huh? Well, this…should be interesting. Never thought I'd have to…"

Sheena's flickering vision vaguely caught sight of the speaker standing outside her cage before the sedative pulled her back under. Why couldn't she die? They never let her die…

 _"Hello, Master Kenobi."_

 _"Sheena. It's good to see you, but you haven't changed at all. Lovely as ever. But I suppose there's reason for that."_

 _She glanced at the ground. The distress only increased as she looked at him._

 _"It's a long story, Obi-Wan…one that I fear we may not have the chance to share. What are you doing here?"_

 _"I was going to Alderaan, but plans obviously change. You serve the Emperor now?"_

At the edge of her consciousness, Sheena felt someone securing her wrists – tight but not painful. These Rebels were soft… Part of her wanted to follow her orders, break out, and execute General Kenobi. The other part just wanted everything over…

 _"Luke is with me."_

 _The old Jedi locked eyes, knowing and sad._

 _"In that case… I can't take Vader by myself, not in the heart of the Death Star."_

 _"You know this day was always coming."_

 _"I just… I never thought it would end so abruptly, after everything we've been through over the years."_

 _"Yet here we are. I will confront Vader; it's high time we had a talk. You distract as many stormtroopers as you can and then get to the_ Falcon _. If we are to die today, let's make it worth the effort."_

 _As Obi-Wan left her, Sheena remained rooted in place. It all had come down to this – to saving some teenage lad who probably didn't know which end of the lightsaber to not point at his face. Make it worth the effort. She just hoped, if and when she was defeated, that Vader would kill her on the spot rather than force her to continue._

* * *

 _Sheena burst into a sprint as she detected Vader's presence, her cloak trailing behind. Moments later, she came upon the duel. Obi-Wan's age and lack of practice had obviously caught up with him; there was no way he would survive this encounter._

 _Without a thought, the Dark Jedi came up behind the Sith and attacked him with Force Lightning. As Vader cried out in pain and surprise, Kenobi retreated a few feet to catch his breath and stared at Sheena with uncertainty. He had been sure that his time was over; Vader was his doom. He was going to become one with the Force. This was…unexpected. But there she was. Lerann had just saved him from perhaps a lethal blow and the Dark Lord was turning his fury on her._

 _Sheena sent another volley of Lightning at her former best friend, who was cursing her name and calling her a traitor even as he advanced on her. She quickly glanced at Luke, who was staring at the scene from the docking bay, and back to Vader. She'd never know the boy as the son of her friend – she could have been a sort of adopted family to him, had things been different. But they weren't. She was the enemy. Her last action, and many more before this, was to protect him and his guardian, but she would probably never be more than a strange memory._

 _The woman ignited her lightsaber and lashed out at the machine-man, who blocked it easily enough. Her strength wasn't what it used to be, long ago. The Emperor had been sure to lessen her resistance to pain and the influence of the Sith. Just a memory of a rotted legacy._

 _"Master Kenobi…RUN!"_

 _The two former Knights exchanged blows a few times, but Vader was using a Force technique that was slowing her movement…and, for some reason, she couldn't think of how to resist it. Her mind was weakened, and she was painfully aware of it._

 _A cut to her calf sent the woman to her knees and Vader lazily kicked her weapon to the side._

 _"There is a very good reason the Emperor gives you such free reign without trusting you, Sheena," Vader chided, reading her expressions. "So, you knew where Obi-Wan was hiding. Perhaps I underestimated you. You have betrayed the Empire. And you have taken my chance for revenge."_

 _"Then my work is complete," she sneered, smirking when someone blasted the door controls and sealed off their way into the bay. Just before the door closed, Obi-Wan could see Sheena close her eyes, awaiting the death-blow._

* * *

Obi-Wan opened his eyes as the buzzer on his door alerted him to a visitor. He took a moment to glance around before getting up; he had nearly forgotten that he was on a ship.

"Hello, Luke. What can I do for you? I trust the scouting project remains a success. What did you call that planet again?"

"Hoth," answered the boy a little restlessly. "And it's going just fine. Our patrols around the system picked up an Imperial ship on the outer edge of the system and… Well, I think you're gonna want to see who they captured. Security is putting her in the brig until we find out what she's up to. It doesn't look like she was tracked, but we're checking anyway."

"Now that does catch my interest," the old man noted lightly, raising his eyebrows with curiosity.


	3. Prisoner of War

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Prisoner of War

Lieutenant Liam Onasi squatted down in front of the prisoner, who was secured to the metal chair in the middle of the empty, dim cage – the brig's 'high security' area. Her head hung limply and her shaggy mid-length hair obscured her face and downcast eyes. Faint burn scars were visible at least on her arms and neck from some sort of torment. Despite the crow's feet creases at the corners of his eyes and the flecks of grey invading his floppy sandy brown hair, she knew him. Knowing her, after he had abandoned her, his face was probably seared into her memory.

A twinge of guilt traveled with his words.

"Hey, Sheena. It's been, what, twelve years now?"

 _She had fallen for the trap – followed what she thought was an old nemesis and ended up behind a forcefield. Only when he rounded the corner did she find out that the person who set it was actually an old friend._

 _"Liam!" she called in surprise, standing restlessly in the shielded trap. "Please, unlock the cage. We must catch the Dark Jedi. We have to kill him. Now."_

 _Liam shook his head sadly as his clone companions approached him from behind. After they had found a way to deactivate the chip forcing the clones to follow through with Order 66, they had been his closest companions. Ever since he and Sheena had parted ways. She had slaughtered so many of them before he put a stop to it. She had to be stopped before revenge consumed her. It wasn't worth pursuing this Dark Jedi she was supposedly hunting. Had she gone crazy?! Unfortunately, they had a mission and he didn't have the time to coddle her._

 _"I'm sorry, but it has to be this way, Sheena. I can't let you go down this path, killing out of pure anger. This isn't you."_

 _"That man almost killed you! He killed dozens of civilians and injured countless more, and you're going to let him get away and leave me stranded here?!"_

 _Sheena glared through the bars as she held onto them. As the clones went to check the hallway, Liam stalked towards the cage. They were running out of time._

 _"You used to be a good person, Sheena! You wanted to survive and protect people; now, you don't care about the damage you leave in your wake as you follow this…vendetta you have against the galaxy. Someone needs to knock some sense into you, but I haven't got the time."_

 _"You left me, Liam. You partnered up with your clone friends and left me to travel the galaxy on my own."_

"Come on, sweetheart, it's me. Where have you been all these years? At least look at me. The other security boys are telling me you're refusing to eat or drink anything. Why is that? At least _say_ something."

She still wouldn't acknowledge his presence. Maybe he should have tried harder to find her when she didn't show up for that rendezvous. Maybe he had made a mistake all those years ago. Maybe, instead of fighting his guerilla war against the empire with his commando friends, he should have stayed with her when he knew the Jedi was losing herself.

"Lieutenant." Liam recognized the Master Kenobi's voice and tore himself away to meet the old man and his commander at the door. "Perhaps I will have a little more luck in communicating with our guest."

The lieutenant lowered his voice to avoid Sheena overhearing.

"Master Jedi, with all due respect, I was her pilot for several years. I was her friend and…I _may_ or may not have indirectly been the reason she was captured by the Emperor."

"Have you had any luck?"

"No, but –"

"Then, can't I have a crack at it? Liam, I know you once cared greatly for her, but much has happened since you left her to her own devices."

Onasi bowed his head in admission.

"You should know that she has answered one question at least."

"And that is?"

"She's here to kill you."

Obi-Wan Kenobi didn't look worried at all. He merely walked into the cell, pulled up an extra chair, and sat down in front of the prisoner. Seeing that he was no longer needed, the lieutenant reluctantly left the room and stood in the hallway with Commander Skywalker. Both men elected to remain within earshot of the conversation in case the old man needed help.

"Hello, there." No response. "I know as well as you that you let yourself get captured by the Rebels."

Sheena stirred and looked up with tired eyes.

"The Emperor ordered me to kill you. I had no choice in the matter."

Liam felt a chill go up his spine at the hollowness of his old friend's beautiful voice. He remembered her being wise, sharp, sarcastic, and witty. This was a ghost.

"He was probably a little displeased by your rescue antics on the Death Star. I was supposed to die that day."

"He was _more_ than _displeased_."

She raised her head unsteadily, making the scars on her neck more noticeable. Definitely burns. But from what?

"You won't kill me, Sheena. I think I can help you."

"You have a rebellion to attend to," she snapped back lazily.

"I'm too old for politics and wars. My duty is to help you."

"You can't help me," Sheena sneered slowly. "I am a threat to you."

"You did all of this – you sided with the Emperor – to protect me and Luke. And you succeeded." The scarred woman just stared at him darkly, a shell of what she had once been. Obi-Wan gently brushed her hair out of her face. "Now, it's our turn to help you."

Her dusty blue eyes softened for just a second – painful, lonely, and pleading.

"Just leave me. It would be a kindness."

Master Kenobi peeked over his shoulder at Luke and Liam and raised his voice.

"You may return to your duties. I must remain here." He then leaned back to make himself more comfortable and looked with compassion on his old friend. "I'm not leaving you, Sheena."

The lieutenant and commander reluctantly closed the door and walked down the hall.

"I assume Lieutenant Kyra gave you her report."

Luke nodded, leading the way toward the observation deck.

"You told me before that you worked with the Jedi during the Clone Wars, but…you knew Sheena Lerann?"

Liam sighed, knowing that these questions were inevitable.

"I was her pilot and, when we were on a clone-run ship, her partner. I watched her back. I… I cared about her a lot."

"Then you know what happened to her."

Liam left the question hanging in the air as Lieutenant Kyra turned from the observation window and handed hot drinks to both men.

"You all right, Kyra?" he worried, having heard of Sheena attacking the other Rebel before being transferred.

"Yeah," she smiled. "Just caught me off-guard. But, after what I saw, I don't blame her for being hostile. I got the impression that the Emperor was manipulating her for a long time before she actually chose to serve him." She paused to take a sip from her own coffee. "You know the prisoner, Liam?"

Liam glanced at the lad who was his superior. The older man could have easily commanded his own ship in the Rebellion by now, but he preferred the action of scouting and missions; he wasn't a leader. He used to command his own rogue vessel, but, ever since it got blown up during the Clone Wars, he still wasn't over it. Since he officially joined the rebels nearly a decade ago, he was more than happy to use his experience for security and intel.

"Back when she was associated with the Jedi, we were…friends."

He avoided elaborating by taking a long draught of his coffee, but Kyra's eyes lit up conspiratorially.

"Commander Skywalker, I do believe our colleague here isn't telling all there is to know." She raised a mischievous eyebrow. "Could be vital information."

Luke shook his head in amusement.

"All right, Lieutenant. Cough it up."

"Fine," the seasoned fighter sighed. "The Emperor was out to get Sheena years before he rose to power. I guess he had a vision or something that she could help ruin his plans, so he had her kidnapped and sent away when she was just a kid to keep her from becoming a threat. Long story short, she eventually came back. She was a good person and a good Jedi. Everyone trusted and cared about her, even after everything that happened. When the order came for all of the Jedi to be destroyed, we were on our way to the Wookie planet to meet up with one of the Masters. We found out what was happening, saw the devastation, and… She changed." Liam shook his head, distracted. "You should ask Master Kenobi about it. He would know more."

"The Emperor enjoyed tormenting her," Kyra said abruptly, earning the men's full attention. "It wasn't just that she was a threat. She showed me. What I saw wasn't about revenge; it was just cruelty… _fun_. If I was at the mercy of that kind of terror, I'd change too." She looked at Luke, suddenly quite serious. "Commander, let's say Darth Vader were to capture Master Kenobi or Princess Leia _and_ you. He forces you to listen to their tortured screams before dumping them in front of you, offering you your weapon, and continuing to torture them. He gives you the choice of watching them die slowly and agonizingly or ending it yourself. What would you do? _That_ 's what she showed me. Some friend of hers – a Twi'lek."

"Ma'tria," Liam confirmed thoughtlessly, though his gut twisted into a knot. So that's what happened to her. At least part of it. Kyra nodded.

"Commander," Kyra insisted on Luke's attention, "whatever you plan to do with Sheena Lerann, regardless of Master Kenobi's opinions, you should remember that she didn't just become this twisted slave overnight. The Emperor spent _years_ grooming her and manipulating her life before she finally chose this."

Luke sniffed a laugh.

"You seem certain."

"Only because I saw through her eyes. I wouldn't be so persistent if I wasn't sure. You know me well enough."

The commander hummed thoughtfully.

"Maybe Ben's right. Maybe she really is just a victim in all of this."

"I wouldn't let her get off easy just because of that though, sir. She may be a victim, but so are most of the people serving the Empire. Are you ready to call a ceasefire just to consider their feelings?"


	4. Suicide Watch

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Suicide Watch

" _Medical unit report to the brig. Repeat, medical unit to the brig."_

Liam lurched to a stop in the infirmary just in time to see four medics slide the thrashing prisoner onto an exam table. He stayed out of the way by the exit, but watched the action closely. The unwilling patient was spattered with blood; groans and spitting shrieks of pain passed through gritted teeth as she stared at some invisible tormentor.

Obi-Wan Kenobi joined the lieutenant just as one of the nurses administered a sedative. At least the thrashing ceased.

"And here I thought you were finally making some progress with her," muttered Liam, still staring at his old friend in dismay. "It… It looks like she tried to scratch her own arms off."

"The Emperor's influence may reach even deeper than I feared," said the old man, folding his arms thoughtfully.

"It's been over a week, and she's only getting worse," the officer growled, jogging across the infirmary to help when Sheena managed to slug the head doctor in the jaw, despite the drugs.

She held her head in her hands, groaning, shaking, and moaning over and over,

"Please stop. Please stop…"

"Sheena!"

Her unseeing, wild eyes looked through him and seemed to come into focus for a brief moment.

"You," she breathed, confusion mingling with her terror. His appearance, he thought with relief, brought a little clarity to her eyes. But the confusion was quickly replaced with something much more cold and calculating. "It's over."

Lieutenant Onasi found himself being launched into the air and slammed against the wall fifteen feet away. Force Push. As he coughed to try and catch his breath, he was vaguely aware of the medical staff clearing the area and the sound of an old man choking. Why wasn't Kenobi defending himself?!

Still gasping for air, Liam charged at the crazed woman with his pistol in hand. The second she fell into an unconscious heap, the doctors came scurrying back to care for both her and Obi-Wan, who seemed keen on refusing assistance.

"What happened there?" Liam demanded, hulking toward the Jedi, who sat in a chair with a resigned sigh. Despite how old his years of solitude had made him look, the lieutenant suddenly remembered that they were rather close in age. You wouldn't have guessed it now, though...

"She saved my life when it should have ended. She has every right to take that charity back," he stated matter-of-factly.

"That's it. I'm going to talk to Lieutenant Kyra about setting guards with you anytime you're in that woman's presence. We can't have you dyin' on us just because you're trying to make her look less messed up than she is."

* * *

"Why shouldn't we just put her in a coma and wait to sort this out until we're at a more secure location?" Lieutenant Kyra tried to reason.

"That won't help her recovery," Obi-Wan noted.

"What recovery?" the woman cried, throwing her hands in the air. "She's the enemy! The Emperor brainwashed her for years to turn her into a weapon – and it's _working_! One of these days, she's going to escape and go on a killing rampage. And that's assuming she doesn't off herself first! Mark my words."

"I think you may be overreacting just a little," Liam added, earning his peer's full glower.

"She tried. To kill you. _Both_ of you! Remember her assassination assignment?! _That_ little detail?"

"I was just in her way."

Obi-Wan chuckled.

"It seems…I am not the only one attempting to cover for our old friend's imperfections."

"Why do I feel like I'm the only logical one here?" Kyra grumbled, rubbing her temple. She silently cursed Commander Skywalker for telling this trio to work out a solution after the ship's captain handed the responsibility to him. "We can't just keep her locked up playing memory games. She can't stay on this ship while she apparently is getting stronger and crazier by the day. Suggestions?"

Obi-Wan and Liam stared at each other for a moment before the old man slowly nodded.

"I can take her away," Liam said. Kyra's eyes narrowed with skepticism. "I can handle her, and the Rebellion doesn't need me too much right now. I can try rehabilitating her a good distance from everyone And then maybe Master Kenobi can join us when she's more secure."

"Those nightmares of hers aren't just going to disappear. She needs lots of time, high security, and professional treatment – none of which we can afford right now."

"Listen. It was _my_ fault she fell into the Emperor's hands so easily. I practically left her for dead."

"All the more reason not to do what you're cooking up in that head of yours. This woman is _dangerous_."

"She's only used the Force _maybe_ twice since she came into our custody. Some part of the old Sheena wants to come back." He glanced sideways at the old man as Kyra received a transmission on her earpiece. "That can only happen away from Obi-Wan _and_ the Empire."

Lieutenant Kyra's scowl deepened as her attention was removed from the transmission.

"We should have had medical scans done on this woman first thing. They're requesting my presence due an apparently significant breach to security. You two should come."

* * *

"I think it's time you and I had a chat."

Sheena Lerann seemed to sink into the chair to which she was once again tied hand and foot - rather undignified for a woman who was a good two decades his senior. Bacta patches covered her mutilated forearms. Dried blood was still visible under her fingernails from when she had scratched her arms to a pulp. Those bonds were for her protection as much as Luke's. She seemed to physically cringe every time the aspiring Jedi caught her eye.

"You should kill me," she muttered, eyes flickering to the ceiling.

"So I've heard," Luke replied conversationally, sitting on a chair a few feet from the captive. "I keep hearing conflicting things about you, Master Lerann." Her lips tightened at the sound of her name. "What I can piece together is that the Emperor honed you into a weapon throughout your life, but you managed to fight it until he captured you after most Jedi were already dead. You tried to use your position to keep the Emperor's attention away from me and Ben, and you saved our lives on the Death Star. That's when he finally broke you and ordered you to kill Ben. Good so far?"

Sheena was silent for a moment. Then a wistful smile graced her lips as she continued to stare at nothing.

"It's illogical to keep playing with a broken toy," she murmured laughingly, picking at the blood under her nails.

"But you _didn't_ kill Ben, Sheena," Luke plowed on. "Part of you is still fighting. Maybe the old Jedi can still be salvaged. Maybe Liam's right."

"Silly boy." She leaned forward in earnest. "You don't leave a faulty _bomb_ in your basement; you send it to your enemies, lock it away forever, or drop it on a dead planet." She shifted back again with her focus on the air. "Hide me or use me. The nightmares won't listen."

"Ah," Luke sighed, getting up. He had sensed Liam's presence near the cell. Maybe he could help. "Lieutenant Kyra said you showed her some of what the Emperor did to you." Her eyes closed as if it would block out his words. "She told me what happened. And she said it wasn't even the worst. The doctors told me you've been tortured mentally, physically, brought to the brink of death multiple times… And Liam told me that the Emperor was trying to shape you even as a child. But you stayed strong the whole time." She snorted derisively. "Look at me. _I'm_ alive. _Ben_ is alive. And _you're_ alive. You won."

"You think there's still hope." Her voice broke as tears glistened in her eyes. "Only a fool thinks that. I won't put my life in the hands of a fool. _Please._ Kill me."

His heart went out to her. After all of the damage – past and present – the medical team had found, he was no longer surprised at how this former Jedi seemed to be nothing but a shell of humanity. If not for her instability, he would love to learn from and about her. Why had she disappeared for so long? How did the Emperor ultimately capture her?

"The Empire doesn't control you any more, Sheena. We found a chip implanted in the base of your skull that seemed to be designed to trigger pain. It was shorting out and, I believe, partly responsible for driving you to take your own life. We removed it. As for the hold the Emperor still has over your mind… I've decided to send you with Liam somewhere safe for a time."

"You really think I can be…saved?" she whispered. "How do I know you're any better than the Empire? How do I know I can trust you?"

"You can. I promise."

"Why are you lying to me? Rebels versus Empire, Light versus Dark? There are no sides anymore, no black and white. The Jedi weren't great, immortal heroes. They had imperfections and secrets and _lies._ Lies are why Vader fell in the first place!"

Luke sighed, trying to think of a way to help this broken woman.

"Maybe. No one is perfect. Vader killed my father, you know. I want him defeated…but not for revenge. That's what made the Jedi better. The Light Side. You're an important missing link from that legacy. And I believe that you can come back to it. We need you. No Jedi can fight the Darkness for that long and not remember the Light."

Sheena bowed her head, shutting him out once more. Her last words were a hollow recitation.

"Once you start down the Dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny."

* * *

Luke stepped back onto the observation deck, inhaling deeply. He could sense the Light in Sheena, but it would take perhaps more time than any of them had to help her. The young Jedi stopped beside his silent companions, who looked as if they had been debating for some time.

"Did you tell her about the device we found?" Kyra probed.

"Yeah, but I couldn't tell if it mattered to her. There's something about her though… I know we can help her."

"Even a small step forward is still progress," Obi-Wan nodded.

Luke stared expectantly at the other three, but both men in turn looked at Kyra. The lieutenant seemed to cave to whatever they had been debating.

"Fine. Dantooine. The Empire knows we abandoned it, and I don't think there's any enemy presence there. The old base should be secure and intact. You'd just need to bring supplies and hook up the power. But, Liam, if you get yourself killed, 'I told you so'."


	5. No Longer Alone

Oh look, another chapter! This past week has been a little crazy. Lots of singing and driving. But I'm trying to stay consistent on updating. Please enjoy, follow, favorite, and review! Even the smallest of input is more than welcome.

No Longer Alone

 _Sheena peeked cautiously around the corner into the dark training room. Plagued by dreams she didn't remember once awake, restlessness had driven her to follow an unknown disturbance. Most of the other Jedi were long asleep, but, outside, Coruscant buzzed with life, as always. This deep in the Temple, it wasn't distinguishable. She only heard the combination of a humming lightsaber and the zapping of a floating training droid. The momentary trainee was so enthralled in his thoughts that he failed to sense his observer._

 _The shadow around her friend was dark and oppressive. What she saw before her was not the boy in training she so vaguely recalled or the gentle husband of Padmé or the loyal brother of Obi-Wan. Pain, fear, and anger radiated off of him in waves. His eyes were far away and unfamiliar and his face was contorted with pain. The air in the room was feverish._

 _"Anakin?"_

 _Deaf to all but whatever horrors drove him, the young Jedi viciously sliced the training droid in half and summoned two more._

 _"Anakin?" the woman asked again, slipping cautiously forward toward the fighter. "Calm yourself," she ordered more confidently._

 _Anakin's unseeing eyes locked onto her and the training droids went crashing explosively into the walls. A chill ran down her spine as he flipped forward, lightsaber still engaged. Sheena barely prepared a block with her own weapon before he crashed into her crouched form. Their weapons were locked tightly; blue and yellow shadows danced against their skin._

 _"Anakin," she grunted. "Stop."_

"Why are you trying to help me?"

She sensed Skywalker at the entrance of her cell again. There was an air of tension and preparation in the air. Perhaps they were moving her now? That boy had no idea what heritage had been laid out for him…the power and emotion that gripped his bloodline.

"You're part of a legacy that I'm hoping to rebuild someday, Sheena. You're one of the few people that might be able to help me."

She snorted.

"I'm part of a legacy that you _probably_ don't want to see…or at least not what I stand for." He folded his arms to hide his impatience. "Master Kenobi stands for the noble, patient, enduring calm of the Jedi. I stand for the crumbled ruin that has nothing but to serve the new rulers of the Galaxy or die. I _do_ wish you'd just kill me and be done with it. Though I suppose this is more interesting for you."

Luke dropped his calm veneer for shock. Did this woman really want to die that much?

"After all you may or may not have done with the Empire, you still have people that want to help you. You may not have faith in yourself, but you don't have to stand alone anymore. We're going to show you. Somehow. Now that we removed that chip, can I trust you to not try killing yourself again?"

She sniffed noncommittedly as a man with a syringe entered. Probably a sedative.

* * *

Liam nodded to Luke and Kyra as he prepared to board his small ship. Sheena was secure in one of the compartments, and he had all the supplies he would hopefully need to get the old base running.

"I'll use one of our secure channels if and when I'm ready to contact you. Hopefully, she has a quick recovery." He quickly added, "She's not all bad, you know."

Luke hummed his agreement.

"I can feel it. Part of her wants to come back, but I'm afraid her experiences and the Emperor's influence might make that difficult."

"She lost everything in the Purge. After we got separated, she just slipped into this obsession, hunting for a Dark Jedi she had faced years ago and destroying everything related to the Empire. By the time I caught up with her, she wasn't the same anymore. She had so much hate. I think she even partly blamed herself for not being able to stop the Purge. The losses that hit her hardest, though, were Mattie and General Skywalker."

"She knew my father?"

"I guess they were good friends. Maybe she'll tell you about it someday."

"Maybe. In that case, the sooner you leave, the better. May the Force be with you."

"Very good, Commander. I hope the new base comes together quickly."

Liam checked that everything was secure on his way to the cockpit. Once he reached his goal, however, he met a little surprise.

"Hello, Lieutenant Onasi. I assume you are ready?"

"Master Kenobi," the younger man greeted hesitantly. "Isn't it unwise for you to come, considering she was sent to kill you?"

Kenobi looked thoughtful, but shook his head.

"My place is here, with Sheena, just as it is yours. Besides, you'll need help setting up your base."

"Fine. But stay out of the way until she's a little less…psychotic."

* * *

 _"I worry about you, Anakin."_

 _"Me?"_

 _"You always have so much pent-up emotion. You worry all the time for Padmé and for your position in the Order. And, if I recall correctly, you've had your fair share of baggage."_

 _"Noticed, did you?"_

 _Sheena playfully shoved her friend._

 _"You watch out for my sanity and I'll watch out for yours? I trust you enough."_

 _He smiled to himself._

 _"I trust you too."_

Sheena twitched into consciousness. Out of habit, she was slow to open her eyes. A tickle of surprise registered at not having any bindings on her hands or feet. In fact, she was lying on a not uncomfortable cot. She tried reaching out with the Force, but either drugs or an outside force was preventing her from sensing her surroundings. Or maybe she was just tired. So, she opened her eyes.

It wasn't exactly a palace, but at least it wasn't a prison cell. The accommodations were modest – a narrow bed, table and chairs, washroom – but she was a little comforted to see the mat on the floor for meditation. Next, there was the tray of food on the table. Nothing fancy – just rations and water – but she was suddenly starving.

Left alone with her thoughts, the former Jedi's gaze wandered to the developing scars on her arms. Supposedly, the pain-inducing chip was gone – one less method of control – but it hadn't been just the malfunctioning tech that had caused her suicide attempt. There was a lot more wrong with her. The Emperor wasn't a tolerant man. He was powerful. Maybe even powerful enough to find her now. He had twisted her thoughts for so long; would she be able to resist him? She could hardly remember a time when that hadn't been the case.

"Remember the first time we met?" a familiar voice vibrated over the intercom by the door. "I was the first friendly face you saw when you came back."

Sheena sat in silence, contemplating the voice tugging at her memory from years ago. Yes, she remembered. Barely.

"Dooku had captured me…I escaped…you got me out."

"That's the abridged version, yeah." The staticky voice paused. "How are you feeling?'

"I think you've done something to limit my power. Aside from that…I'm glad to not be in chains, in a prison, or be tortured. So…comparatively well, I suppose."

"I'm hoping that, after a while, you might feel…more like your old self."

Sheena chuckled to herself.

 _"Something wrong?" Liam drawled with mock respect, resting his hand on the hilt of his gun. "Sheena, I know you don't like being cooped up on a ship full of clones, but at least it's safer here than most places right now. I just wanted to let you know that we're receiving a transmission from Senator Organa. He said it's urgent…something about life or death…?"_

 _"How much longer until we reach Kashyyyk?"_

 _"Less than an hour. You sure you're okay?"_

 _"I don't know." Before the woman could move to follow her friend back to the bridge, the clone commander approached with his helmet removed. "What is it, Jon?" she inquired, forcing herself to be calm._

 _"Mistress Lerann, I just received an order from the highest authority. With regret…"_

"The Emperor made sure that will never happen, Liam."

"You know what I mean," the voice chided. "You don't have to be his slave anymore. Don't get me wrong – you've been to Hell and back – but you have a chance to take back your identity. Or at least make your own." Another pause. "Mind if I come in?"

She sighed.

"I don't know what you expect of me."

Sheena jumped when her door opened to reveal the owner of voice. Somehow, she hadn't expected him to be right there. Liam Onasi really hadn't changed that much, even after all this time. He had crinkles around his eyes and was starting to go grey, but, other than that…he was the same man that rescued her twice, but left her behind when she needed him the most.

"I don't expect anything of you. Except for you to _try_."

That dark, broken feeling started to swallow up the flicker of hope again.

"I'm done trying. I'm done fighting. All I've done is fight."

"Sheena." Her eyes popped open again. Liam was sitting across from her at the table, leaning back in respectful distance. "You're not fighting alone anymore."

* * *

Her meditations carried her through broken thoughts and memories. Sometimes, when she stumbled upon a particularly painful recollection, she could stand and watch as an emotionless observer; other times, she was reliving her own screams. It felt different to not have Sidious clawing at her mind, but she was still wary that he might be just around the corner.

She guessed that a couple weeks had gone by since their arrival at this place. Liam visited her once or twice a day, but he seemed busy. In a way, she was glad that he had things other than her in his life. He wasn't obsessing. It felt good to have her own space – even though she obviously wasn't allowed to leave, there were no cameras or bindings or guards. She didn't feel watched or threatened, and she could feel the Force again. The minimalism allowed her to focus on the little things – breathing, bathing, meditating, curling up with hot cup of tea – no interruption, no curfews, no commands. It felt…safe. She had forgotten what it was like. Peace. She would likely get restless soon, but that day hadn't arrived quite yet.

Sheena froze mid-bite at a familiar tickle at the back of her mind. Calm. Regretful. Wise.

" _Why are you here?"_

" _To kill Obi-Wan Kenobi."_

With a shake of her head, Sheena turned back to her dinner.

* * *

"Dantooine was a decent base. Too bad we had to abandon it."

Liam pushed his tray away and looked around the large kitchen. To conserve power, he had brought only certain parts of the old base back into working order. The rest, he figured, was better with the derelict appearance, should prying eyes come to call. The galley was attached to the living quarters and training rooms, which was pretty much all their little party needed. Ben Kenobi had taken to wandering into the gardens further in the base, but Liam wasn't concerned with those areas. Having the old hermit out of his hair on occasion allowed him to focus on his own projects. Like figuring out when to let Sheena out of her room.

"You seem troubled, Lieutenant."

"Sensed that, did ya?" the other man grumbled.

"Well…that and you have been tapping your foot for the past five minutes."

"Oh. Sorry."

"I was considering that we should allow Sheena into the gardens. It's an enclosed, safe space, and it would allow her to continue her meditations. She also might feel less trapped."

Liam rolled his eyes, refusing to admit immediately that Kenobi was probably right.

"We haven't reinforced any of that section. There's no power, so no lights or water for those dead plants. We have no idea…"

"Let me settle your concerns, my friend," the Jedi tutted. "Do you think I've been wandering aimlessly among the weeds during these weeks?"

"I make no attempt to know your habits, old man."

"The refuse has been swept from the center area, the water is flowing, and the fountain has been cleared of debris. Oh, and all exits and weakened structures have been secured in case she loses control. Does that satisfy your overprotective mind?"

Liam scowled at the suggestion.

"Let's give her a few more days before I suggest the venture. I want her to feel safe, not exposed."

"I think the garden will be just what she needs."

"And make sure you're nowhere near there."

"Of course."


	6. The Grey Path

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The Grey Path

" _I know it's not exactly freedom, but –"_

" _I understand," the woman interrupted hollowly. "I'm too dangerous."_

 _With a forbidding glance, she stepped through the doorway into the garden, leaving her one-man escort behind._

It was a refreshing kind of silence. Not the silence of a prisoner waiting for torture or a fugitive waiting to be discovered. In her meditation, the open air made it seem like she was almost free. No spies watching. With her eyes closed, it could have been the temple on Coruscant or a treetop on Kashyyyk.

But reality continued to nag at Sheena's conscience. How had a dedicated, confident Jedi turned into this groveling, self-loathing echo of antiquated mythology? The Jedi had no place in this galaxy anymore. The people seemed to think they had outgrown the once coveted protection of the Order. They seemed to be right. What purpose did she and others like her have? The ones who were left, at least.

Most had died valiantly; some, cowering behind cover. Others had gone into hiding, like Obi-Wan. The thought still ate at the Dark Jedi – the ones who had escaped her and other hunters. The Emperor would have likely sent her out more, once she was completely under control. There were those like Sheena – the ones who had broken or been groomed by Sidious. Then there were little sparks like Luke. The Galaxy was changing.

Sheena spent a large part of her time in the gardens – meditating, wandering, and slowly bringing the dilapidated greenery back to life. On the eighth day of this routine, she discovered something new sitting on the stone walkway below the fountain.

A lightsaber. Her lightsaber. Only, it was in pieces. Someone had taken the time to completely disassemble it. The very idea angered her as she loomed over the components laid out on their cloth bed. She had barely put the weapon together the first time. Was she expected to put it together again, when her mind too was in a dozen pieces?

She walked away without touching her once-coveted possession. She was trying to fix the irrigation in the east quadrant.

The next day, the pieces were still sitting there. She ignored them again. Weeds were blocking the light in the lower windows.

Finally, on the third day, Sheena decided to try her hand at it. She touched a few of the pieces, including the crystal that had given her blade its yellow glow. It had been her one constant in all these years. She tried remembering how the pieces fit together. No luck.

Fourth day, she meditated with the pieces laid out before her. One by one, they twisted and turned in the air as the Jedi attempted to match them. She wasn't mechanically inclined, so she had to rely on the Force. That seemed to be a problem.

 _Peace. Knowledge. Serenity. Harmony._

Her thoughts swirled chaotically. Dark images of torment and loneliness and guilt and hate danced over her consciousness, even as she struggled to center her mind. But broken thoughts only meant a broken lightsaber.

She lost count of the lives she had taken since awakening in the Emperor's torture chambers. She had lost control. They all had. She hadn't been able to see it before, but she remembered Anakin's Darkness – the anger, the anguish, the frustration – for so long before the Purge. She had seen it. But she did nothing. They were all to blame, but she was one of the ones who had watched him slip away before dropping off the cliff; now, they both stood at the bottom of this pit, shaking their fists at the ones who had been wise enough to take a step back. For some reason, however, she had been thrown a rope - a second chance…

For the thousandth time it seemed, Sheena opened her eyes hopefully. But it looked as if she had done nothing. The weapon components were scattered in a sloppy pile not much different than the last ten attempts.

With a shout of frustration, the woman ripped the cloth aside, sending the small metal and crystal pieces flying into the plant life below. Liam chose that particular moment to enter the gardens.

"Sheena, I was wondering if you wanted your supper here or in your…room." He stopped short upon seeing the result of Sheena's fit. "Sheena? Everything all right?"

The woman's glower found him after a few seconds.

"It's not. Possible."

"What's not possible? Sheena, you don't have to…"

"No!" she screamed, scrambling away when Liam tried approaching her. "I didn't choose this. Any of this! My life was forfeit a long time ago. It should have ended then."

 _She could sense the Dark Side. She knew who it was. She would recognize that feeling, even after all this time. It was the Dark Jedi who had set her up to kill her first innocent in order to save Liam – the first time she began truly doubting herself as a Jedi. Liam hadn't believed her. But he was coming for her now._

 _"You want me?!" she cried, pulling the pin on the amber grenade. Maybe she could catch him in it as well. "Come get me!"_

 _She should have never started killing. It was too easy now. If not for the unlikelihood of her survival through this, she would have maybe tried to change her ways. But it was too late._

 _He appeared, a dark figure in a black cloak, and she dropped the grenade._

"Sheena…"

"You left me behind once already. Why couldn't you just leave me be now and live with your crime?! I'm in control of nothing! I'm a liability, a stain on the legacy of the Jedi. I can never be a true follower of the Light after what I've seen and done! And I can't be a Sith because I have no place there either! I'm nothing! Ever since I sealed myself into that rock, my life has not been my own. Before that, even. I can't be what I'm supposed to be."

"You don't _have_ to be anything. You don't have to be just Light or Dark. The Order isn't here to tell you otherwise. And the Emperor doesn't have any right to try. Maybe you don't have to choose."

With a sneer, she stormed away to return to her room. Anywhere away from the weapon she no longer deserved.

* * *

"She's not like you, Kenobi."

"Oh? How so?"

Liam gave his peer an incredulous glance before returning to cleaning his gun. After dark, there wasn't much else to do but chat with his companion.

"What do you think?"

"I think she's improving."

"Oh really?"

"She hasn't tried killing herself again."

"She practically told me I should have tossed her out an airlock instead of bringing her here! How is that better?"

"Lieutenant," the Jedi stopped him firmly. "We are faced against at least four years of torture and brainwashing, not counting what was done to her as a child. She has not attempted to escape, kill herself, or hurt either of us. Just that is impressive enough. We cannot rush this."

Liam massaged his temple, trying to make himself believe what the white-haired man was saying. He was still having trouble believing Sheena was even here…

"I know. But having her on our side would be…useful."

Obi-Wan shook his head, rolling his tea between his palms.

"You don't really think that. Sheena is no more a military asset to you than she is to me."

Onasi paused in the middle of putting his pistol back together.

"We went through a lot together. Dealing with the Separatists, missions, running from the authorities. It was my fault it ended the way it did. I left her behind. I as good as handed her over to the Emperor on a silver platter." Kenobi raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I gave her this thing called amber as a failsafe – it looked like a grenade, but it would fill a room with this cryogenic rock. When I trapped and left her, she must have used it and was found by the wrong people, years later."

"It would seem that Sheena isn't the only one with a guilty conscience."

"I feel like helping her now will somehow atone for that. Partially. I want her better. I don't want to…have to kill her."

"Patience."

* * *

It was one of the worse dreams. Not one of the ones she could push aside or stand on the sidelines. Strapped to a table in a dark room. Probably only months after the Emperor woke her from her long sleep in the amber.

" _I grow tired of your impudence," the cloaked man croaked. How had his skin become that greenish, wrinkled mess? she wondered idly before another throb of pain radiated over her body._

" _I assumed you were used to it by now," she shivered._

" _Pointless bravery. Your Jedi masters are dead and scattered. Even Master Yoda could not stand against me. Eventually. You will realize that you are…nothing!"_

 _A shock of Force Lightening shot from his fingertips. As usual, the prisoner tried to hold her tongue, but not soon enough. She ended up biting her tongue and screaming through her own blood._

" _Please!" He paused for a brief second. "Stop."_

 _Another shiver went down her spine at the yellowish grin._

" _Only when you understand…true…POWER!"_

 _No chance for a breath. No air. No screams._

 _Frozen in time as electricity was shot into her helpless body, Sheena's only thought was…WHY. WHY had so many died? WHY had the Dark Side prevailed? WHY had the Order lost control?_

 _Air._

 _WHY had Anakin turned to the Dark Side? WHY had Obi-Wan and the other stragglers left the Galaxy to its fate? WHY had the Order been so selfish as to forbid the passions of mortals? WHY had everything fallen apart? WHY was she left alone?_

 _Air!_

 _She smelled something like burning flesh._

 _AIR!_

 _WHY had she been left behind? Was it her fault? Had she deserved this? Maybe she did. Maybe the Emperor would just finish her off. The secret of Luke's existence would die with her._

 _AIR!_

 _In the strange scheme of dreams, she was suddenly free from her chains. On the floor this time, curled up in the cold. But the Emperor was still there. Perhaps a different day, maybe a different year. She looked down at her skin – much of it scarred from the Emperor's overzealous electrocution on that other day. Well, now she knew why his skin looked like that. At least she could breathe._

 _A burning pain shot between her eyes, then down to her fingertips. She curled up on herself, hoping it would stop. But the Emperor just stood there, hands to himself. A flickering thought reminded her of the chip the Rebels had removed._

 _It was too much. Her mind was completely open to his influence. Broken, unable to resist any longer. Anything to stop this. There was no point. She was nothing. A living relic._

Sheena.

 _There was warm presence through the fog of darkness. Something beyond the dream. When she squinted, behind the Emperor's bent figure, she could see a familiar robed shadow. The cool tingle of the Light Side of the Force soothed her battered mind. Clarity didn't seem so intimidating. A small, logical part of her raised its head._

 _There was no chip in her head. This was a dream. The Emperor didn't control her anymore. The Order didn't control her. There was Darkness and Light, but there was also Balance. If she couldn't be either, she could least try for that._

 _The Emperor didn't move as Sheena shakily stood and grabbed a warm, misty robe from the nothingness. In fact, he seemed to be fading into more of an empty, dark shape. He would always be there, in the back of her mind, but maybe she could control it. Balance. She had her anger and passion and torment, but maybe she could find serenity in one small thing._

 _She had done her best with everything fate had given to her. She didn't deserve another chance at life, but it was there anyway. Maybe there was hope._

* * *

"General, I do believe we're making significant progress. I think recalling us at this time would be a mistake."

"Lieutenant, I'm aware that your previous relationship with Sheena Lerann makes you hope for the best; however, if her…rehabilitation is proving ineffective, I must suggest that she be handed over for interrogation while any information she may hold is still viable."

Liam's hand tightened into a fist even as he nodded.

"I understand, General, but Master Kenobi and I both believe that this is the best way. Give us a little more time, and we will contact you as soon as there is news."

The General paused in deliberation.

"Very well. I hope to hear from you _soon_ , Onasi. Good luck."

Onasi resisted the urge to kick the communication terminal in the dim command center of the base. He didn't need to be Force-sensitive to know someone else was there.

"Please tell me I didn't just lie to the General?" Obi-Wan's lips disappeared into a thin line as Liam joined him in the hall. "It's one of her worse days, isn't it?"

"She had another nightmare last night," the Jedi admitted. "But I think she may be gaining more control. Give her a few more days before coming to any conclusions."

* * *

True to his word, Lieutenant Onasi had given Sheena a few more days of peace and freedom in the gardens after her previous outburst. Obi-Wan elected not to tell him about what his plan was after that.

The exiled Jedi entered the gardens and strode toward the center fountain in silence. Sure enough, Sheena was sitting on the walkway with her back to him. She must have sensed his presence, but she said nothing. So, he continued to approach her until she was about ten paces away. The woman was meditating – eyes closed, lightsaber parts hovering gently in the air. He seemed to have come at an important moment.

With a soft _click_ , the weapon components locked into their proper place, and it landed firmly in her open palm, the curved hilt molding perfectly with her hand. Only then did she glance in his direction. She stood and engaged her lightsaber. The low hum and the sight of the yellow blade seemed to calm her even more; she gave it a few experimental flourishes. Then, she gave Kenobi her full attention. Neither angry nor pleased. He didn't move as she stepped toward him.

"Will you strike me down?"

Sheena cocked her head, shoulder-length black hair flopping limply to the side. She was unkempt, but definitely more in control, it seemed.

"I am no longer a Jedi," she replied evenly. Her eyes flickered between Obi-Wan and her blade. "Not like you. Not anymore. Yoda was right…once on the Dark path, it forever dominates your destiny. So many things have happened because of it. Because of the Dark Side, the Emperor, my own rage." She adjusted the grip on her hilt. "But that doesn't mean my path has to be all Darkness."

With a hint of a salute, Sheena disengaged her lightsaber and placed it on her belt.

"I respect your decision," Obi-Wan nodded diplomatically. "We would welcome your assistance, should you choose to give it. And I am willing to help you in any way I can."

She brushed past him, flinching as she did so.

"Just don't surprise me."


	7. Unsteady

Thank you for your patience! Please share your thoughts, follow, and favorite!

Unsteady

" _Lieutenant Onasi, I'm afraid you must return immediately. If your pet project worked, so be it; however, we are well on our way in establishing our base here, and we need to be on the offensive with the Empire sniffing around every corner of the galaxy. I'll not waste this opportunity."_

" _I understand, sir, but things are still too…"_

" _Lieutenant, this is an order, not a request. I suggest you keep that in mind."_

" _I'm sorry, sir, but there appears to be some interference. I'll have to contact you once it's repaired."_

Liam glowered at the darkened holo-terminal, trying to think of every excuse possible to not take Sheena to the Rebels. He owed her, and she maybe needed him now more than ever. He couldn't just hand her over to the Rebels when she was barely at the point of not wanting to kill them all. If she felt threatened or betrayed, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't simply snap. Unless he had every assurance otherwise, he had no plan to even tell her or Obi-Wan about this order, let alone following it.

* * *

"He has no intention of following that order, you know."

General Rieekan sighed and turned to face Commander Skywalker, who had apparently been eavesdropping on his transmission.

"Lieutenant Onasi is one of the most dutiful officers I have ever come across. He served the Republic in the Clone Wars with great distinction. I somehow doubt that this woman is going to make him disobey a direct order."

"I don't know, General," Luke shook his head. "He took orders from her long before he took them from you."

"She's dangerous, you know. If we can't control her, we'll have to treat her as the enemy."

"And I think Liam knows that."

The general hummed in thought.

"Do you think Master Kenobi will support me in this matter?"

Luke chuckled and walked away.

"Only Ben knows what Ben will do."

* * *

Liam paused in his mission for coffee upon discovering Sheena sitting with a cup of tea at the table in the kitchen. Her eyes were closed, but he assumed she sensed him anyway. She had been free to roam the base for about four days now, but he hadn't truly made an effort to talk to her. Until now. Too busy deflecting the general.

"Now that you're more…"

"Sane?"

She opened her eyes, expression utterly unreadable.

"Stable. I wanted to apologize."

"For not making more tea after finishing the last batch? Keeping me locked up? Not trying to find me after the Emperor woke me up from a decade-long nap because he needed a new toy?" She sipped her tea and continued conversationally as she counted on her fingers. "Trapping me in enemy territory and walking away so that I was forced to lock myself in experimental cryogenic rock? Or offering me a teasing hope of life beyond the madness before breaking my heart?"

Liam bowed his head, unable to answer right away. Her words stung.

" _What's this?"_

" _Don't look so suspicious, Sheena," laughed Captain Onasi, though his eyes held no mirth. The Jedi looked at him doubtfully. The small device he was offering looked like a grenade. "I acquired these during one of our last real missions. It's called amber. If you pull the pin and drop it, it releases a substance that hardens within seconds and encases everything around it in a sort of suspended animation. The people who created it theorized that someone could be in it for decades before they were pulled out, and still be in the same condition._ _If any of us are in danger of being captured…"_

 _Sheena reached out and took the grenade, but her hand lingered for a moment as it brushed her companion's fingers and their eyes locked. Through all this running, Liam had stayed faithfully by her side, even though he could have disappeared and started a new life in the Empire long ago. He refused to leave, even when she practically demanded it for his own safety._

"It made sense at the time. But, now that I see what my actions did to you… I didn't think it could get worse. After we split up, you went on a mad killing spree. Even the clones I had managed to deprogram thought you were more of a menace than anything else. You had to be stopped. I thought I was doing everyone a favor. And I may have forgotten about you having that device. I came back for you. But you had already released the amber and…"

Sheena sharply held a hand up to stop him from going any further – another stark reminder that the memory of that simple, soft moment had just been…a memory.

"I have no desire to return to these old arguments. You say you want me to move forward. Let's move forward. I understand why you did what you did."

"Really? So…friends?"

Sheena rolled her eyes and left the room without finishing her tea.

* * *

"Sheena…"

She was out there. Somewhere. Afraid. Alone. Confused. Longing for days gone. He could sense her conflict, her tentative reach for the Light. The former Jedi thought she had perhaps eluded her Master. Vader could feel her reach out to him in her dreams, stretching for anything familiar, even if it was attached to her nightmares.

She was dreaming of the days after the Emperor first awoke her from her long sleep. Now that it was no longer a secret to him, Vader could sense what she had been clinging to – that one shred of defiance that had burned out the moment Obi-Wan set foot on the Death Star.

 _Sheena's body trembled uncontrollably and her eyes were squeezed shut. The restraints on the table were the only thing keeping her from curling up and collapsing to the floor._

 _Vader glared down at his old friend. He had just returned from an audience with the Emperor, who had taken his anger out his apprentice. Sheena was resisting. Why? They could see that her spirit was crushed. After decades of the Emperor toying with her life, she had finally grown tired of the battle. Then why?_

" _Why are you resisting? I sense your fear, your anger, your despair. Why, when you know there is nothing left for you?"_

 _Her eyes remained closed, but Sheena slowly inhaled to steady her unbalanced mind._

" _Why do you refuse to fight it?" she whispered. "I too sense your fear, your anger…your despair. What happened? I was told that Padme died in childbirth, but I sense…more."_

 _The topic he wanted never mentioned again. Darth Vader's fist tightened until his gloves squeaked from the tension. But a small part of him admitted that she deserved to know._

" _I killed her." The woman's eyes popped open. They were hollow storm clouds under the shade of her growing black hair, but pure anguish crept into her gaze as well. So...she really had changed. "There is no saving me. There is no hope for me."_

 _Those eyes continued to stare for what seemed an eternity. Vader allowed this moment. He felt her breaking. He could wait. But there was something in her eyes – she knew something – and nothing the Emperor did had broken her from it._

" _I know there is hope," she stated blankly. She dropped her head back on the table, her swirling mind retaining that one chestnut of unimaginable strength. What was it? A single tear ran down her cheek. "But not for me. I'm tired. Lost. A lost cause among lost causes. We gave our lives for an extinct way of life, didn't we? With nothing but to bend before the new age. There will be another new age, soon. But Jedi Lerann will not be here to see it. Perhaps a slave."_

She had hidden the existence of Vader's son admirably for quite some time. He knew she had wanted to die on the Death Star that day; she had nothing for her sanity to cling to any longer. He had denied her that privilege. It had been the final straw.

" _If you strike me down, I'll become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."_

 _Darth Vader raised his lightsaber, preparing for the final blow to end Obi-Wan Kenobi's all-too-long life. The battle-worn Jedi raised his weapon submissively – this would be all too easy._

 _But then the Sith cried in pain as an electric shock struck him from behind, disrupting his air supply. He knew his attacker before turning on her in a rage. She was supposed to be broken! Another slave and victim of the Emperor! Another failed experiment of the Jedi! Another corrupted remnant that made Vader feel as though he were less of a failure._

 _She sent another volley of Force Lightning at him as he recovered, but he managed to redirect most of it with his blade. He cursed her name. The traitor. The failed experiment. The misfit. The nothing._

 _She ignited her lightsaber and lashed out, but he blocked it easily. The Emperor had done his job well. Even if she did manage to resist and hold her own in a duel for a time, she was too vulnerable to the Dark Side to put up much of a fight against his tactics. She feared him. Especially when it was bolstered by his rising anger. The Jedi all betrayed him. Why should this one be different? First, he would finish her; then Obi-Wan._

" _Master Kenobi," she grunted, surprising the Sith with a cut to the leg. "RUN!"_

 _Sheena's attacks kept Vader occupied long enough for Kenobi to flee toward the waiting Rebel ship. He recovered instantly, returning the cut to her calf and sending the woman to her knees. He lazily kicked her weapon to the side, and she remained motionless, defeated._

 _"There is a very good reason the Emperor gives you such free reign without trusting you, Sheena," Vader chided, reading her despair. "So, you knew where Obi-Wan was hiding. Perhaps I underestimated you. You have betrayed the Empire. And you have taken my chance for revenge."_

 _"Then my work is complete," she sneered, smirking when someone blasted the door controls and sealed off their way into the bay. "A new age is coming. And I've made my peace."_

 _She closed her eyes, awaiting the deathblow. But Darth Vader was not ready to let her rest._

" _There will be no peace for you, Sheena Lerann. You will see a new age. But it will not be a new age of the Jedi."_

"Sheena…"

Vader closed his eyes and, in a flicker of vision, he saw her briefly shivering in her bed, unwilling to tell anyone of her torment.

"You cannot hide, Sheena," he said quietly to the empty corridor. "You and I are bound to this fate. There is no escape. You no longer have anything to hide from me."

* * *

Liam stepped quickly back from Sheena's open door, anger building at the sight of her. Eyes closed, trembling at whatever Dark horrors assaulted her mind. He couldn't bring her back to the Rebels. He just couldn't. They would tear her apart. But he wouldn't let them.

* * *

 _Falling, falling, falling… The sensation seemed to last an eternity._

 _Suddenly, he was on the ground, being choked by the fire smoldering nearby. The coughing of someone else caused the watcher to turn._

 _Obi-Wan was trapped under a broken bulkhead. He reached out to someone, who elected to deny their assistance._

" _It was always coming to this, Master Kenobi."_

 _In a flash, Luke awoke as he felt his old friend's life be snuffed out._

"Ben, this was… It wasn't just a dream. It felt like something else. A vision."

"The Force may have shown you the future. Not unheard of. Or it simply could have been your own fears. You felt this was urgent enough to risk the Empire tracking our transmissions?"

"But I _heard_ her," the younger man insisted. "Sheena. I know you seem to have this idea that she has some right to kill you, but that's _not true_. She knew the consequences from saving you, and Fate – or whatever you want to call it – is just gonna have to adjust. She's gonna kill you. But not if we don't let it happen."

"You are certain of this?"

"Would I be doing this if I wasn't?"

Kenobi stroked his beard in thought.

"Perhaps you're right, Luke. Perhaps I was being selfish. But I still owe my life to this woman. As do you, in a way. She did keep your existence a secret, even after the Emperor turned her. Do not underestimate her."

"If you don't overestimate her." Luke paused, unsure if he had convinced the Jedi to be any more careful. "I gotta get ready for the scouting mission. Stay safe."

"You as well, Luke. Tread carefully when considering these visions. They can be helpful, but they are often driven by our emotions. May the Force be with you."

* * *

"I know they recalled you." Lieutenant Onasi leaned over the ledge from his perch on the base entrance, not expecting any company this late in the evening. His old friend was leaning against the main doorway below, her black hair tied back with a yellow ribbon she must found somewhere. "They want to know if I have any good intel."

"Sheena…"

"What did you tell them?"

He was still getting used to her new, hollow tone.

"I told them 'no'."

"Why?"

"I'm not taking you back."

She irritably remained standing there in his peripheral vision, crossing her arms.

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid of what they'll do to you."

She took a step forward, silently demanding his attention, still not looking up as she watched the sunset.

"You can't hide me forever, Liam."


	8. Recall

Here you go! Please review and vote on the poll on my profile!

Recall

Obi-Wan sat in meditation, reaching out with the Force to help his young protégé.

" _Luke. Luke!"_ The boy was weakening, but the Master could sense help approaching. _"You will go to the Dagobah system. There, you will learn from Yoda, the Jedi Master who instructed me."_

" _Ben!"_

"Obi-Wan!"

Master Kenobi opened his eyes and stood from his cot. Sheena, now with free reign of the facility, had burst in without announcement. Looking quite cross, he noted.

"How may I help you, my dear?"

She growled in frustration, snubbing the hot drink he offered.

"Luke's in trouble. They all are. If _I_ can feel it, I know you can."

"It could also be your connection to Darth Vader."

She ignored the suggestion. His lack of concern prompted her to pace.

"Ben, he's the last hope the galaxy has of defeating the Emperor! You have to do something." She pointedly didn't say 'we'; she was still far too susceptible to help anyone, in her eyes. Finally, she sat down at the small table, mouth ajar. "You're not going to him."

Obi-Wan sat down opposite her, warming his hands on a toasty mug.

"No."

"If he is the Chosen One, as you seem to think, he needs you."

The man remained unmoved.

"I have a promise to keep."

"This is the fate of the galaxy we're talking about!" she argued tightly. "You can't abandon him."

"He has his friends, the Force…" He considered not telling her of any other still-surviving Jedi, but decided to risk it. "…and I sent him to study under Master Yoda. My presence is not required, and may, in fact, hinder his progress. It is not my place to teach him – it never was. I will not argue with you about something already settled."

"What makes me so _bloody_ useful that you're willing to risk everything to _save_ me?"

He leaned back, considering a walk in the gardens that evening.

"It's not about what you can do for the Rebels. You've already paid your price. First, we will help you. If it leads you helping the cause, we will accept it; if not, very well. You gave up your sanity and your freedom to protect Luke. None of it was easy for you. But you will learn to be patient with yourself again. You may not be able to return to what you were, but you have a chance now to discover where you belong."

She didn't continue to argue; but neither did she agree. He decided to take this as a good sign, even as Sheena glided back into the hall without a word. Something elusive continued to fester, but he could only help if she let him.

* * *

Perhaps two days later, the cloaked woman sat on the empty Dantooine rooftop, eyes closed to enjoy the open air. The clouds were rolling in, so they expected a storm within the hour. Her black bangs flitted about her face in the breeze – she had finally bothered to adjust the mop her hair had become. It now was long enough for her to tie most of it back in a respectable loop. Her knees were protectively drawn up to her chest, despite there being no danger. Safety had been a foreign concept to her since the days she walked the halls with her Jedi Masters.

She could sense the tension. Vader was on the hunt. What he was hunting, though, she did not know. Perhaps Luke. She could just feel his agitation like a whispering tickle in the back of her mind. Just like she could feel the Emperor's anxiety concerning her whereabouts; they were far enough that she could easily keep her presence as tiny as possible. She didn't dare reach out too far. Too much fear to not be noticed.

And she was afraid. Despite finding more of a balance with her own shaky sanity, for the moment, Sheena felt as though she was teetering on the brink. She had forgotten what it was like to not constantly anticipate pain, punishment, or the feeling of someone's life slipping through her tightly gripped fingers. Even when Liam smiled at her this morning when she fetched her breakfast, she had flinched – for the longest time, the only reason someone smiled at her was because they were about to do something horrible.

The wind brought a slight chill, followed by the first lightning strike, and her state of affair became quite clear.

* * *

" _Lieutenant On-! The Empire has – us – need – immediate – sending – coordinates – Force be – with us."_

Liam stalked onto the base rooftop in a hurry. He had to find Sheena, and they had to leave. Immediately. He'd already packed most of their essential supplies and set the Jedi to finish, but they were missing one important factor. She had been quietly wandering, mostly keeping to herself during the past few days – some disagreement she had with Obi-Wan – but they didn't have time right now! His own reservations were cast aside in the flurry of preparation.

Darkness had fallen, along with the rumbling thunder and rain. Takeoff would be interesting. The officer carefully scanned the pillars. Thanks to the lightning, he hoped to spot his charge quickly. Assuming she was still up here.

* * *

" _You are nothing!"_

 _Sheena sucked the stinging air in as the shocks subsided, taking her energy with it. She must have collapsed on the floor, at some point. The guards had escorted her directly from her shuttle, and the Emperor had met her without a single word of greeting before the Force Lightning assaulted her robed, undernourished frame._

 _He bent a little so that she could see his insincere smile._

" _Do you understand? Your predecessors are nothing but rotting corpses cringing in the shadows – alive or dead, it does not matter. But to fail the first assignment I give after your deceit on the Death Star…it will take some time for me to forget this, I think. Two whelps, who can hardly be called Jedi, escaped you when you tracked them to Lothal. How?"_

 _She trembled and answered without thinking,_

" _They overpowered me. Master."_

 _He bent closer, and she twitched, watching his hands warily for any more Lightning. It was supposed to be over, back on the Death Star. Her price was paid. Why did this continue?_

" _I know…you are lying. My agents reported that you_ allowed _them to leave the planet. With all of your emergency rations, no less. You cannot hide, Sheena. You are mine. My servant. The sooner you remember that, the sooner you will see daylight again."_

 _Sheena opened her mouth to respond, but the door had already been sealed, and she was left in a cell that was becoming increasingly void of light and warmth. She shivered and pressed herself against the wall._

 _Outside the memory, she could hear his voice._

" _There is no escape. My servant._

* * *

"Sheena!"

She was curled up, soaking wet, against one of the protruding pillars.

"Sheena!"

She didn't react to his call, only staring into the darkness, shaking like a leaf. Without asking further, Onasi scooped her up and headed for the indoors. His back reminded him that he was no longer a daring rogue in his twenties, but he ignored it.

Back in the main hallway, he set the woman down against the wall. She slowly drew her knees to her chest, trying to control the tremors being produced by her entire body.

"Sheena."

She continued to stare at nothing, so he brushed the hair away from her face. Blasted, where was Kenobi?

"Sheena?"

He cupped her chin in his hand; only then did her eyes flick into focus. The woman blinked and slowly parted her trembling lips. Her voice was a quiet sigh of shocked relief, as if she had just come out of a nightmare.

"Liam."

"What happened?" Those misty orbs flitted away and back. "Was it the Emperor?"

"He'll always find me, Liam. He doesn't need to know where I am, but he'll always find me."

"You're safe, Sheena. You're almost back to being yourself. I won't let him take you back."

Her lips ticked upward.

"He doesn't need your permission."

Obi-Wan chose that moment to jog around the corner, taking in the scene briefly before nodding in the general direction of the landing pad.

"All preparations have been made." Liam stayed put, continuing to stare at his former compatriot. "Lieutenant, we should depart before the storm gets worse and prevents our movement. We can attend to her once we are at lightspeed."

With a growl, Onasi shot to his feet.

"She can't go back!"

"I'm afraid time is not on our side, at the moment. If the Empire has truly attacked, it's only a matter of time before the Rebels evacuate. And, unless you want them to consider you a deserter, we need to find them and obtain the latest rendezvous coordinates, since their transmission apparently failed."

"Liam," Sheena interrupted, rising unsteadily to her feet. "It's alright. I'm alright."

Liam glared at the older Jedi and chose to ignore his overly-wise expressions.

"Sheena, once we go back to the Rebels, there might not be a chance to turn back. This doesn't have to be your fight anymore. I don't… I don't want you to come if you don't want to."

Sheena looked solemnly between her comrades, clearly not up for making any big decisions. But they didn't exactly have a choice.

"I've been dead for too long." She cleared her throat, trying to regain control. "It's time I woke up from this nightmare. But I don't know how. I may…need some help, if there's time before the…before I…"

Whatever fears she refused to voice, Kenobi eased the tension.

"We will be happy to help. Old friend." The woman rejected any assistance and gently strode down the hall. The second she was out of sight, however, Liam stood in Obi-Wan's path with an accusatory expression. "You look as if it is my fault that the Empire is attacking the Rebellion, which is the only reason for this evacuation."

"I just want to make it clear, Jedi. Even after all the progress we've made, I think this is a bad idea. You should have seen her on that roof. She's on the edge of a knife, and what do you think the Rebels will do to her? I've seen the reports. Do you know how many people who now call our little ragtag group home had friends and family hunted down and slaughtered. It wasn't just the stormtroopers who did that. Unless your head's been under a rock, you know the Emperor has Force-users at his beck-and-call. And Sheena was one of them. Do you think those victims of the Empire have forgotten the mysterious lightsaber-wielding figures who cut down their loved ones?" He looked around to make sure Sheena wasn't within earshot. "And do you think Vader is the only one on her scent?"

On that note, Liam bolted away to prep the ship for takeoff. Obi-Wan remained a moment, contemplating his companion's words. He was right, of course, and the grey-haired Jedi was fully aware of Sheena's struggles and the danger that surrounded her. But he also sensed the plateau their friend had reached. She was more in control and held an unsteady trust in the two men. But her faith in their ability to keep her safe was nearly nonexistent. She thought, if the Emperor decided to find her, there was nothing they could do to guarantee his failure. And she was probably right.


	9. Soldier's Heart

Sorry for the usual delay! Work is crazy. Please review! Helps with the writing motivation.

Soldier's Heart

"Lieutenant, what seems to be the problem?"

Onasi stared blankly down on the planet, even as his two companions joined him in the cockpit.

"There's no radio chatter on any of our frequencies."

"And no lifesigns." Obi-Wan hardly needed to glance at the scans to know this. "Look, you can still see the smoke from the explosions."

"And no sign of any functional craft either."

"There's something down there, though," Sheena murmured, pulling her legs onto her seat.

"Yeah, sweetheart, I'm sure there's plenty of local creatures ready to eat our faces off."

"No. Something evil. Even if they evacuated…there's something there."

Liam glanced at Obi-Wan, failing to notice the woman glaring at the back of his head.

"Imperial agents." Sheena just shook her head, eyes wide. "Well, whatever it is, we're about to find out. We need to figure out where our friends went. And it's not gonna happen up here. Too risky to send a transmission, right now."

* * *

Liam tripped into what was left of the command center, removing his gloves as he headed for one of the intact terminals. They hadn't encountered any Imperial forces, so it was safe to say they wouldn't have to fight their way around the base. Which definitely needed to happen, because there was no power to any of the computers.

"Blast!"

"Something the matter, Lieutenant?" Obi-Wan inquired while he replaced an overturned chair.

"Ah, power's disconnected. I'm gonna check the wires on this one before fetching a generator from the ship. Unless you want to see if there's a backup generator nearby, Sheena. Sheena?" He briefly glanced around. "Ah, for the love of – Guess she wandered off."

Obi-Wan shook his head, keeping his comments to himself.

* * *

 _"The Jedi will only bring you sorrow and ruin."_

 _"They care about me."_

 _Dooku smirked._

 _"If the Jedi care about you at all, then where are they?"_

Where were they? Dead? In hiding? Dark Jedi? Forgotten? She remembered those earlier days of the Clone Wars like a dream of someone else's life. Count Dooku captured her twice over perhaps a three-year period, at Sidious's bidding.

 _"Listen, Lady Jedi," a familiar voice began, "I don't really care what you do to this piece of space junk, but we really should get going."_

 _Sheena followed Dooku's eyes to the speaker – sure enough, it was Captain Onasi. The horrible man closed his eyes in concentration for a moment before a ghost of a smile flickered across his face. She desperately wanted to know what he had envisioned._

"Kill him," _a croaking voice ordered._ "Do it."

 _With a sigh of resignation, Sheena disengaged her armament and commanded the newcomer,_

 _"Knock him out."_

 _Confusion was the last expression on Dooku's face before he was rendered unconscious by the butt of Onasi's rifle._

 _"Why didn't you kill him? No one would have blamed you."_

 _Sheena looked down, blushing._

 _"I'm not the one to kill him. Plus…he was defenseless. I could never kill a defenseless man. Call me soft, but I just couldn't do it."_

Both times, she had escaped with the help of a daring, roguish captain who gave up his neutrality in the war to follow her into battle and into hiding. That had all changed. Liam didn't know what he was saving, now. Neither did Sheena. She once claimed to never hurt a defenseless person; the screams now echoing between her ears proved that false.

The icy hallways were hypnotic. They all looked the same. The same whiteness. The same destruction. The same emptiness. The same silence.

Kill him. Do it.

She could hear those words, but couldn't distinguish if they were simply a memory or a present demand from the Emperor tracking her down. Neither option was pleasant.

If it was a memory, she remembered always having back up. Always having some unlikely hero to help dig her out of a mess. Always knowing that Liam Onasi would be there to help. That was a happy memory.

What made it sad, however, was the present. If the Emperor decided to take her back, there was no one who really understood, who could go the extra mile for her. She could sense the doubt, the fear, and denial. They didn't want her. They wanted a woman who, in all intents and purposes, was dead.

Sheena froze in her tracks, accompanied only by the empty silence of the abandoned base. But she could hear it. The methodical, gasping breaths.

She waited, eyes wide as the tickle she had been ignoring suddenly became all-too-present. She saw him. Stalking toward her. Ready to take her back.

"You cannot run, Sheena. Only I know your pain. Only I can help you find your place." Darth Vader stopped about ten feet away. "You are lost. The Emperor will not wait forever. If you return, we can destroy him. You can help me find my son, and together, we can return balance to the galaxy. Yes…I can sense him. I am waiting, Sheena. You know what must be done."

* * *

"I don't get it."

"I'm quite sure you do. If you cross those wires, you should get power to the terminal; then, we can contact the Rebels through a secure channel."

Liam glared at the Jedi.

"I'm not talking about this. I'm talking about Sheena," he grumbled, going back under the console. "You know perfectly well."

"I see," Obi-Wan played along, handing the other man a tool. "And what is it you do not understand."

"Some of the time, she does fine; it's like she's almost back to normal! But, the rest of the time… Other than an occasional spark, it's like she doesn't care about anyone or anything. Again…I'm glad she's not trying to kill us or herself, but it's like we've stagnated. I was hoping we'd be farther along with this by the time we got called back. I can tell she doesn't trust us – not completely, anyway. She looks at me like…like she's all alone."

"Because no one is on her side."

Liam hit his head on the bulkhead in his hurry to glare at Kenobi.

"I'm on her side!"

"Are you? Or are you still holding out hope for getting the old Sheena back?" The lieutenant gruffly disappeared again. "The Jedi you knew is no more. She can be saved, but only after you accept that."

"Wait. Did you hear something?"

Liam shot through the doorway of the command center and nearly collided with their wandering friend. She didn't seem scared, but she had clearly been running for some time and held her lightsaber hilt ready.

"Sheena, everything alright? Did you see something?"

Her eye twitched as she looked at the two men, then back down the hall.

"It's nothing."

The moment she passed the men up to slide onto an empty piece of floor against a console, the backup generator gave out, sending the room into darkness before a few emergency lights kicked in. Obi-Wan saw himself out with a pointed,

"I shall retrieve the generator from the ship then."

Onasi took the opportunity to sit across from the restless woman.

"What is it?"

She exhaled slowly, her breath showing in the cold air.

"I can't be what they want me to be."

"Who? The Rebels or the Empire?"

"Both."

"I already told you that you don't have to be just light or dark. I'm sure there's a middle road there somewhere."

"But I don't know how. I've been Light and I've been Dark, but how can there be both? I can't…"

She paused and closed her eyes tiredly, but Liam smiled a little.

"You've actually been doing it for years." Sheena rolled her eyes. "Really. You helped save a bunch of people, including Commander Skywalker, while you were with the Empire. Just be a little less murdery… Okay, so maybe it needs a little…tweaking. But you can do it! There's no reason you have to be the female version of Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"You don't know."

"Then tell me. Talk to me."

She rapped her knuckles against her forehead a few times.

"I can hear him calling. Vader."

"Evil Darth Vader? And? I thought you were able to cut them off?"

"He's not simply the enemy. He is a fellow slave. He was a companion just as much as a captor. His Darkness is bound to a fiery rage and despair that…radiates. He speaks to me through my confusion and I…I understand. There must be balance."

Liam frowned at his friend, unsure of how concerned he should be at Sheena's musing. Kenobi argued that she had to work some of this out on her own, but the former rogue disagreed. He just didn't know how to help.

"You what you have that he doesn't, Sheena?" She focused back on the lieutenant. "Me. And Kenobi. And even Luke. I promise, we won't try to make you do anything. Not like Vader. Not like the Emperor. Whatever you end up deciding, I have your back. Come on. Kenobi should be back with the generator in a minute. Just need to get a secure channel and meet up with the Rebels. No problem."

As he slid back under the computer console, Liam couldn't help but feel a pit in his stomach. Obi-Wan had insisted that it was the right thing to help her choose her _own_ path. But what if it was the _wrong_ path? And, as much as he wanted to put a positive spin on things...what would the Rebels do to her? As a prisoner, they could protect her and debate with the generals on what to do. But, as an ally, she was free to roam among the enemies of her former Masters. And they wouldn't necessarily be as forgiving.


	10. Happiness Is…

Happiness Is…

" _Welcome…Sheena." The general seemed unsure how to address the turncoat. "We have assigned quarters for you."_

Her quarters had been too cramped. She needed space. She had become accustomed to roaming the gardens in their little base to work through her...issues. Movement. The training room was perfect for that. And everyone else was too busy with the recovery from the Imperial attack to bother with her. She expected at any minute to be dragged in for an interrogation, but they left her alone.

She had managed to get her hands on a new set of clothes – black leggings with a brown robe that almost fit like her old Jedi garb. The curved hilt of her lightsaber rested against her thigh from the belt on her waist as she shakily went through her motions. Many years ago, Master Kenobi had given her some instruction in Moving Meditation, but, as it was such a personal practice, she had been left to find her own way. Now, with her bare feet settled firmly and eyes closed, she slowly maneuvered her arms, picturing the air begrudgingly giving way to her cupped hands. Her breathing was steady and her mind sought the emptiness. Nothing but her and the air and the mat under her feet.

" _I never really pictured you as the meditating type." The blood rushed to the Jedi's cheeks as her Twi'lek friend walked into the training room. She probably should have practiced in her quarters, but she needed the space. "Then again, a lot of things have changed over the past few months."_

" _Perhaps a 'Do Not Disturb' sign is in order?" Sheena jibed, swiping her hair away from her face with a smile. How is your research going?"_

" _Well enough, but it seems we're to team up to utilize some of this information. We get to sneak into a Separatist outpost. I proposed my plan and the Council is briefing us tomorrow. Sound fun?"_

" _A mission with you? Always."_

 _Ma'tria laughed in delight._

Sweat beaded on her skin as Sheena stood perfectly still, conscious of everything it seemed. A lock of hair had fallen from her ponytail and tickled her cheek. Vader reached out to her, but she pushed him back. He couldn't find her. Not now.

" _I've been working so hard to become the best Jedi possible in such a short time and I still have no answers."_

 _Padmé looked at the other woman with her wonderful, insightful eyes and they flickered to Anakin as she pursed her lips._

 _"Sheena," she finally said, "you've been working through this since you got here. What's making you act like this?"_

 _Sheena smiled slightly as the senator put a hand on top of her own folded fingers._

 _"So many things. I have so many thoughts going through my head, I don't even know where to start. When I was with Dooku, I almost gave in… If the Light side is so powerful, how do the bad guys win so much? When there's so much evil, how can we know what we're fighting? Things that I came here confident in have become muddled. People I thought I trusted are strangers; people I felt should be lost are…" She glanced at Anakin, that weird feeling of dread itching at the edge of her consciousness, though she pushed it away. "...not."_

 _"Sheena, we're here for you, you know," Padmé encouraged quietly. "You've proven yourself trustworthy with our secrets; it's only fair that you're able to trust us."_

 _"I'm scared that I might not be that important and all this fuss I might try to make is for nothing. I'm scared that I might really be important enough to make a difference and not try hard enough and fail."_

The misfit removed her lightsaber and opened her eyes as the yellow blade was engaged.

Hello again, old friend.

Good memories. None of her life had been perfect or normal by any standards, but the Clone Wars had actually been the happiest time that she could recall. Adventures. Good friends and mentors. A knowledge that she would never have to fight alone.

 _Sheena proceeded to the training room, lightsaber at her belt and traditional Jedi garb on her back, all hues of dark brown and black._

 _She waited only a moment before Obi-Wan entered. They simultaneously removed their belts and fetched practice staffs._

 _"Aren't you afraid I might hurt you with this thing?" she smirked, swinging the stick gracefully._

 _"I'll go easy on you," he teased back, saluting._

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry as she contemplated her weapon. But she did know how to use it.

* * *

When Lieutenant Onasi finally tracked Sheena to the training rooms, he found her practicing with her lightsaber, dueling an invisible opponent. He never knew which Sheena he was going to be met with each day, it seemed. The exercise did seem to improve her mood, as she greeted her old friend with a smile, despite the unexpected interruption. Her smile got bigger when he invited her to walk with him to the observation deck and surprised her with an impromptu dinner for two. No one else. Just two old friends.

"I thought you could use something a little more…normal."

"What's normal?" she laughed, standing at the full-length window with her hands braced against the small of her back.

"Fair point."

He watched her misty eyes following one of the patrol ships' circuit past the medical frigate. What went through her mind during moments like this? Moments when she wasn't physically crippled by self-doubt or fear or anger? He might not fully understand it, but he saw it. And he worried for her. What choices would she make? And did he have any power to help?

"So," she broke the silence, "whatever happened to the deprogrammed clones you were partnered with before I was put on ice?"

"Went their own way. I think they set up a base on some moon on the Outer Rim."

"I thought you worked well with them? Why join the Rebels?"

"We worked well together. But I wasn't one of them. They welcomed me, but… When everyone has the same face but you…it was for the best. I travelled on my own for a while. Helped smuggle some refugees and supplies to blockaded planets under the Empire's thumb. Took some odd jobs. Then, one of the Rebel leaders approached me and offered me a place. The timing was just right, I guess. I just couldn't stand being useless and looking out for my own neck when there was the possibility to be part of something." He paused, looking again at his changed comrade. "You taught me that."

Her smile faltered a little.

"Did I?" She closed her eyes for just a second, some horror dancing through her memory. "I'm glad."

"What's wrong?"

The black-haired beauty continued to watch the stars, but her breath hitched. The circles under her eyes were coming back.

"Everything I've done has been because of circumstance – being a Jedi; fighting in the War; running from the Empire; becoming the Emperor's lacquey. Now, I hear the urgings of an exiled Jedi Master and his fallen former apprentice, even in my dreams…and I can't tell what's right. I've fought for both sides, and here I am. Everything's a shade of grey. I don't know what I am anymore."

Liam didn't even skip a beat.

"Well, I can still see color. And I can tell you, you're doing fine. You've been used, abused, and traumatized. But you're still here. You're upright. You're alive." He held his hand out. "And I, for one, am glad you're here. It's been boring without you."

* * *

 _Luke staggered to a halt outside the_ Falcon _at the sound of a lightsaber battle. Ben was facing off with Darth Vader in the far hallway. Even the nearby stormtroopers seemed hypnotized by the fight. Obi-Wan noticed Luke watching; then, he did something unforeseen: He raised his lightsaber in a submissive salute, opening himself up to a killing blow._

 _The lad felt a scream rise in his throat before a miraculous thing happened. Vader cried out as he was struck by lightning from behind. A woman stalked onto the scene, to Obi-Wan's obvious surprise. She had saved his life when the old Jedi was ready to forfeit it. He didn't understand, but he was grateful._

" _Luke!" Ben's voice shocked the boy out of his stupor. The Jedi was running at him, even as he looked back to witness the mystery woman fall to her knees. Luke had the sense to shoot the controls of the door to seal the towering monstrosity on the other side. "Run, Luke!"_

"Far your meditation has taken you, hm?"

Commander Skywalker twitched back to the waking world to find Master Yoda staring at him.

"I was thinking of the Death Star. There was a woman who served the Emperor who saved Ben's life…and he claims that he was supposed to die. But that doesn't make sense. Does it?"

"Hmm…" Yoda's ears folded down. "A vision of Master Obi-Wan's demise did I have. One with the Force was he to be, yes. Unexpected her intervention was. Much confusion surrounds this savior, hm?"

Luke scoffed.

"We picked her up a while back. She's crazy. And Ben seems to think he owes her his life or something. I don't think I'll ever be able to trust her, even if she does turn against the Empire."

Yoda stared at the student with an unreadable expression – a bit sad, chiding, maybe foreboding.

"Much is uncertain. Upset the balance she has. Choices she must make. Lost much she has."

"You knew her, didn't you? When she was still a Jedi."

"Heh. This matters not. Your training we must continue. Want to understand this Jedi, do you? Learn you must. Long has her journey been. Unknown where it will end."

* * *

"And that was when you hit him over the head and escaped?"

"Oh no. I let him think he had the upper hand for nearly an hour, listening to him go on and on about his master plan to blackmail the local law enforcement." Liam laughed out loud. "Then, he finally turned around and…and he just froze. With a gun on his nose, though, he didn't have much of a choice."

Sheena chuckled, walking down the hallways hand-in-hand with her old friend. The duo purposefully ignored the occasional looks of suspicion sent the woman's way.

"You haven't really changed that much, have you?"

"Oh, I beg to differ. Do you know how selfish I used to be?"

"So, you think highly of yourself now, do you?"

"I'm not going to dignify that with a response, dear lady."

"It's good to see you like this, Liam. You're in a good place where people respect you. That's hard to find, as of late. I only wish you had been around…"

Sheena didn't have the chance to finish that sentence as a blade was thrust between her ribs.

 _Kill him._


	11. Better Judgment

Short little chapter, but I at least have an outline for the rest of the story. Please review! T'would be lovely.

Better Judgment

 _Sheena twiddled her thumbs in silence, reaching out for any sign of Separatist activity. All they had to do was wait for the patrol droids, destroy them, then call on the clone squads to attack the enemy post from behind._

 _Granted, this part of the mission could have been completed just as easily by the troops. But this particular campaign to capture the northern hemisphere of the little planet had already stretched over a week without reinforcements. The Jedi could handle this. At the moment, however, they were just waiting behind a boulder._

 _Master Windu's eyes were closed in meditation across from the younger Knight. She knew he was still fully aware of everything, but Sheena preferred to still use her more physical senses when watching for the machines._

" _You seem pensive, Sheena."_

" _My apologies, Master," she whispered back, halting her fidgeting. "I was thinking of the clones. Of how we've come to depend on them."_

 _Windu opened his eyes and leaned back tolerantly._

" _You speak of your vision of the clones attacking."_

" _Yes, Master. I have this constant…undercurrent of mistrust towards them. But they've done nothing but show complete loyalty. I even count Lieutenant Jon as one of my friends. Yet I find my hand twitching toward my lightsaber every time they talk to me. Is it foolish for me to think like that?"_

 _Master Windu took a deep breath._

" _I would not take your vision lightly. Do not let your worries rule your judgment, but remain vigilant. I too prefer to err on the side of caution. The clone army appearing just at the moment it was needed… I admit, I find it an odd coincidence."_

" _Any advice?" the woman smiled._

" _I thought I just gave it," he returned the jibe. Both Jedi froze. "Shall we?"_

 _Windu attacked the patrol from behind as they passed by, while his companion launched herself from above in an aerial attack._

* * *

 _The former Jedi blinked around in the pitch black, wishing for even the slightest hint of light. There was none to be found._

 _But then. A glint of something. Just a reflection._

 _In the muffled silence, she tiptoed in that direction. Her breath caught in her throat upon identifying the source, but the woman kept moving._

" _You cannot hide from yourself, Sheena."_

" _Myself, Lord Vader? Or you?"_

" _You may have them fooled, but I know you."_

" _Does anyone?"_

 _She circled him cautiously, but he remained passive. Even if this was a dream, he was still dangerous. She didn't argue his point, however, Of all people, he had seen her full evolution and her struggles with Light and Dark. As much as she hated to admit it, he knew her best. Better than Liam. Better than Obi-Wan. Better than the Emperor._

" _You know you will never be accepted among them."_

" _The galaxy has no room for me. Maybe I should have let the blow strike true."_

 _They circled each other in the silence. Even the Emperor wouldn't find them here. She couldn't deny Vader in this place._

" _The Force seeks the life it was denied."_

" _Obi-Wan."_

" _Balance must be restored. The galaxy has no place for his kind. The Jedi are no more."_

" _But I too am an abomination. You passed on the perfect opportunity to be rid of me."_

" _A weakness on my part. But you at least see what must be done."_

" _No. I can't do it."_

" _Can't or won't?"_

* * *

"So, you escaped death again."

Lieutenant Kyra smirked when the patient cracked her eyes open with a groan.

"Kyra, right?"

"You remembered. I feel so special," the rebel commented dryly. "You look better than when we first met at least. Barely. I have to say though, I admit I was wrong. I was worried you were going to kill someone while the boys were working on their grand plan. Turns out, I should have worried about the other way around."

"Think you know me, do you?" Kyra drew her eyebrows together, unsure of whether Sheena was joking. "What happened?"

"Does the name Char Sudan ring a bell?" Sheena took a long, deep breath, but didn't say anything. "Let me refresh your memory. Sudan was a Rebel operative who specialized in stealing fuel from the Empire. Two years ago, he was on assignment and we lost contact. After three months, his body was found – an eye and three fingers missing, and signs of electrocution and…well…signs of torture. He was killed by his windpipe being crushed. And one of our inside sources reported that his interrogator and executioner were the same person: An Imperial agent he identified as the Walking Death. A woman with short raven hair, a yellow lightsaber with a curved handle, and lifeless blue eyes. That's the last we heard from that agent too. The woman who stabbed you was Sudan's mother."

Kyra sat back expectantly, curious whether this turncoat victim would deny or admit the allegation. Sheena took a moment to consider her answer, nodding slowly.

"I do remember. Sudan was a brave lad. I was sent to investigate the disappearing shipments and get to the bottom of it. I caught him, tortured him. Eventually, he asked for me to end it. I told him to give me the location of an abandoned Rebel base to give me an excuse. I killed him quickly after that. The other agent, he…surprised me. But the Emperor didn't find you."

Kyra stared in amazement. Shock. Horror. New-found respect slipping away for something more… methodical.

"I see."

"I'm sorry. I had to do it, but I'm sorry."

The lieutenant's eyes widened. Sorry. She hadn't even tried to deny it. The pieces had fallen together – reports, rumors, and stolen intel. Over the past several years, Sheena had been responsible for the deaths of at least twenty Rebel operatives. None of them pleasant. That didn't count any one else who likely got in the way.

"Why did you do it?"

"Because I had to."

"Why?" she insisted.

"Because." Sheena's voice took on a sharp edge. "I had. No. Choice."

"She did it to protect Luke," Obi-Wan answered, coming around the corner. "Didn't you." He walked to her bedside, eyes boring into his old friend. "I told you of his existence when you came upon my hut on Tatooine."

"Our last hope," Sheena whispered.

"You caused all sorts of trouble, so I heard from a smuggler or two." He turned back to Kyra. "She disappeared – locked in cryogenic rock, I understand. When the Emperor found her, she had a choice to make." Again to Sheena. "Isn't that so?"

The older woman's eyes were downcast, but Kyra was surprised by her reply.

"He wouldn't let me die. He kept asking questions – whispering in my ear – horrible things. The more he tore at my mind, the less choice I had. If the Emperor had found out about Luke then, none you would be here. I'm sorry for those people I killed. But I would have been more sorry if I had given the Emperor my last shred of usefulness – my last shred of sanity. I'm sorry for Sudan. And his mother. But I gave him something the Emperor denied me. And Vader. An honorable death. There's no honor in being a pawn. I gave them all honorable deaths."

Kyra stared. Sheena stared back. All her fealty to the Emperor had been to mask her knowledge of Commander Skywalker. Whatever she had been before, the Sheena after Luke's emergence had just been whatever shell the Emperor allowed to exist. No wonder she wanted death. No wonder she was lost.

Without another word, Kyra got up and left. The question remained: Was she interested in making atonement for those deaths? The general wanted to know. And, what the general wanted, the general would get.

She was surprised to find Liam nearby on the other side of the curtain, waiting for her.

"Was that really necessary?"

Kyra suddenly smirked.

"I think she's ready."

"Ready for what?" The lady stalked away. "Kyra. Ready for what!"


	12. Cursed

Cursed

 _Two days later…_

"Sheena."

 _Sheena._

The woman paused in tying her hair back when Liam and Obi-Wan rounded the corner of the adjacent hall and joined her walk.

 _Kill him…_ A whisper only she could hear.

She smiled a little and kept going. Tea sounded appealing, but she deliberately took the long way to the mess hall. Too many people staring at her sideways.

 _Master Lerann._

She ignored the tickling whisper.

"Two of you. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We're simply curious if you know anything regarding why the General requested your presence?" Obi-Wan inquired, catching her eyes as she adjusted her belt over the bacta patch still in place.

"Nothing at all."

Sheena was cordially greeted by Lieutenant Kyra upon passing in the hall.

"Are you sure there's nothing going on?" Liam pried further, scowling at the other officer's retreating back.

Sheena just offered another half-smile. She had no intention of telling them that she had already met with the general. She left the boys behind when she entered through the mess doors. Kenobi caught her gaze one last time, his expression unreadable. A chill ran down her spine.

 _Kill him._

* * *

Sheena stepped inside the gym and stopped short, the door nearly clipping her backside as it shut behind her. Seclusion was elusive in this place. Five crewmembers apparently had the same idea as her.

"Care to spar?"

Despite her lack of an answer, the young red-haired man threw a practice staff to her. She saluted and tolerantly participated in a pretend duel. He was a decent fighter, but clearly had never done hand-to-hand combat in a real battle where his life depended on it. She kept flicking his staff away, toying with him. She could _feel_ his irritation mounting. Did he know who she was?

 _You are nothing._

He lunged and she sidestepped him, but she felt his anger. Maybe he did know.

 _You are weak._

He twirled his staff, showing off, and attempted to do a feint to the right. She didn't fall for it.

 _There is no escape._

He raised his staff.

 _You are mine._

With a sneer, she struck. Childsplay.

 _Kill him._

This had to stop.

 _My servant._

"Hey! What's the big idea?!"

The woman froze and looked up at the speaker: a young woman in her early twenties, looking oddly panicked. Then she looked down.

Her opponent wasn't looking so cocky now. He lay prone on the floor, arms raised defensively. Blood drizzled generously from above his eye as Sheena stood over him with her stick raised.

 _You will never be free. Strike him down!_

"Hey! Are you listening?"

With a slow breath, Sheena lowered the stick. To keep the other occupants from getting any ideas, however, she used the Force to hover her weapon back to its rack. No one stood in her way when she left the gym. And she had no intention of returning. She could never be one of them. That boy was lucky she hadn't Force Choked him…

* * *

"Are you crazy?! She's finally getting back on her feet – literally and figuratively – and you think it's a good idea to send her back to the people who brainwashed her."

"Liam," Kyra chided, "that's not the case at all."

"You wanna bet?" the man growled, causing her to flinch. He seemed to not care that he was shouting at General Rieekan, one of the greatest new leaders of the Rebellion, in her opinion. "What's the purpose of this? To torture her? She's given everything for you people and you're just turning on her like it was nothing!"

The general stared calmly for a moment, then sat at the briefing table and offered a seat to his subordinate. Liam huffed, but he took the opposite chair calmly.

"Our sources tell us this is a mission Sheena will want to complete herself. Also, if we are to trust her in the future…" The general paused, glancing around the corner. The two technicians buzzing around were deliberately minding their own business. "We must know that she is willing to face her former allies to protect the lives she was once employed to destroy so eagerly."

Liam continued to glower as Kyra moved to the closed door and permitted a newcomer to enter.

"I request to go with her, then. She'll need backup in case the Empire tracks her down."

"Request denied."

He opened his mouth to argue, but Sheena cut in as the door slid shut behind her.

"I have to do this alone, Liam." She hugged her arms closely around her body while sitting down. "The Rebels are giving me a chance to make up for everything."

"You've already done everything," Liam muttered back. He'd been talking to Obi-Wan. He knew. At least, he thought he knew. "You don't have to do this. You don't have to do _anything_."

Sheena met his eyes steadily. Kyra noticed something different – a sort of raw grit. A long-embedded vengeance.

"Yes, I do." Without another pause, the other woman arose. "I will be ready within the hour."

Rieekan nodded.

"A fighter with lightspeed capability will be fueled and ready for you."

* * *

Sheena settled into the seat of her fighter, ready for a long flight. She had the coordinates and route set. Just her on a mission to settle an old score. The question remained: How would she accomplish it?

 _"Lerann, alright are you? Melancholy you seem." Sheena followed Yoda out of the Council chambers, still slightly fazed from seeing Anakin moodily perched on a chair of his own. She had been gone for over a month this time for a disappearance investigation, followed by hostage situation gone awry, followed by a dead-end search for the culprit of it all: A Dark Jedi. The climax of the mission had been…unfortunate. "Avoided his death you could not."_

 _"You know that's not true, Master," the woman replied hollowly, watching a duo of Younglings run by with sad eyes. "If I hadn't been so attached… If I hadn't been so selfish… Master, it's one thing to battle Dark Jedi, but this… I have innocent blood on my hands. It will take time and meditation for me to come to terms with it."_

The day she had first really spilt innocent blood, and she was forgiven and endorsed by the Jedi. Just like that. Did Master Yoda consider then what she might become? How slippery of a slope it would become?

 _The two Jedi, the former pirate, and several clones stormed into the storage facility, weapons drawn – the Jedi from the South entrance and others from the East._

 _An explosion erupted around the center of the spacious room where the several dozen people were kneeling, sending the perspective rescuers all flying backwards. As Sheena regained her senses, she shot up, engaged her lightsaber, and surveyed the damage. Beyond the lingering flames and smoke on the far side of the room, she locked eyes with a cloaked figure, which saluted her with its red lightsaber before disappearing._

 _The Jedi was just about to follow when she discovered what the explosion had cost them. At least half of the hostages were splayed out on the ground, moaning in agony from the burns that now marred their flesh. The remaining culprit – apparently the Dark Jedi's accomplice – had three villagers (an old man, a woman, and a small boy) surrounding him as a human shield. And, directly in front of him, facing Sheena, was Liam. Her friend had a gash under his eye, a bloody lip, and several burns on his clothing; apparently, he had attempted to put up a fight when he was grabbed._

 _Everyone froze._

 _"_ _Mistress?" Jon questioned, standing down warily. "What's our next move?"_

 _Sheena glared at the half-hidden man, seeing that he was more than willing to kill every last one of them – and possibly even succeed – if there was even a chance of escape. There was no way for her to get to him without injuring or killing all of the hostages, using the Force or her own weapon. And she didn't trust any of the clones enough to get a clean shot. A flutter of fear and anger shot through her chest, sending a chill down her spine. She must have shivered, because the stranger smiled knowingly. He was threatening one of her own. Liam. Sheena may not have been the most emotional person in the galaxy, but no one messed with the people she loved._

 _"_ _Sheena." Her name passing through Liam's lips caused her attention to shift. "Don't do anything stupid."_

 _Don't do anything stupid? Letting this go on longer or letting one of the others mess this up would be stupid!_

 _Never breaking eye-contact with the cocky stranger, the woman strode over to the Commander. The stranger seemed to be daring her. She could sense the defiance, the sheer spite, wafting from him. From this angle, there was a perfect, clear shot at his head. By now, she was an excellent shot. She could do this easily._

 _"_ _Jon, give me your sidearm." Her voice was a whisper to avoid the stranger overhearing._

 _"_ _Sheena?"_

 _She merely reached her hand out and, after a moment's delay, the clone retrieved his extra pistol and placed in the palm of her hand. The instant her finger touched the trigger, she went into action. The gun went off and, then, silence._

 _"_ _Sheena?"_

 _Sheena suddenly realized that she was holding her breath. Was the room spinning? In a whirl of movement, Sheena Force Jumped forward and struck the stranger on the forehead, knocking him out cold beside the person he had used as a last-minute shield. The dead boy couldn't have been older than ten years old. He looked so fragile and small and innocent…and_ _she_ _had robbed him of his life because of some rash decision._

 _"_ _Tie him up," she growled, her piercing eyes staring down at the prisoner. "He's going to lead us to his master."_

 _"_ _What if he doesn't want to?" Liam asked, but she didn't dare look at him. She hated him; she hated herself. If not for Liam – if not for her attachment to him - that boy would still be alive._

 _"_ _He will." Liam and Matri'a still remained at her side, apparently scared to leave her. "Help Jon with the villagers. We're going to find this Dark Jedi."_

Light and Dark. It didn't seem to matter anymore. The ends had always justified the means. She felt almost obligated to be lenient, but things always seemed to slide backwards.

 _"Master Jedi, in the old storage facilities…one of our scouts spotted the Dark Jedi that was here last week. At least he thinks it's the same one. Please, our people aren't ready to begin running for our lives. Stop this man before he hurts anyone."_

 _"Is it the man I described?"_

 _"Exactly. It's him, all right."_

 _Sheena nodded, still staring at the refugee infant in her arms._

 _"You say he was skulking around the storage facilities?"_

 _"Yes. The scout said he was entering building number 4."_

 _The Jedi took off running, the amber grenade innocently clipped to her belt for the next hour…_

With a sigh, the disgraced Jedi leaned her head back. That Dark Jedi had cost her the last of her innocence and freedom. Her obsession with finding him had led her to her meeting with the cryogenic rock. Part of her wanted to be redeemed in the eyes of the Rebels – and maybe even her dead Masters.

But she had been doomed from the start – ever since the Emperor had dreamed of her becoming a threat and sent her away as a child and she had nothing but dreams of the Jedi to make her suspicious of circumstances. She had grown up in a world void of Jedi Codes and Sith plots. A moment of pure chance had returned her to the Jedi temple, and only the good graces of the likes of Yoda and Master Windu had kept her there. She had fought, yet here she was. Only Fate would decide what would happen next.

* * *

" _Still suffering from those nightmares?"_

" _You know what they want from me."_

Luke could see Obi-Wan smile - the young, charismatic leader of what he must have once been shining for a moment through the fog.

" _What was that? Debris?"_

" _There to the south._

" _Pirates."_

The air was stiflingly hot and thick with smoke. A cough preceded the appearance of the ragged black-haired woman.

" _Obi-Wan."_

 _An angry burn. Torn clothes. Explosions. The indomitable Kenobi trapped under a heavy metal brace._

 _Sheena raised her lightsaber._

 _Ben's hand reached up._

 _She struck._

 _The hand fell._

Luke shot upright, banging his head against Master Yoda's ceiling in his hurry to wake up.

* * *

Very special thanks to zoegrover for the marvelous betareading (also an excellent written, FYI)! Please favorite, follow, and review!


	13. Signs

Many thanks to zoegrover for beta-reading this chapter! Enjoy and please review!

In case I didn't mention it before, I'm stretching out the ambiguous timeframe of _Empire Strikes Back_ just a little. Never made sense to me that Luke got his training done in what seemed to be two days...

Signs

The woman stared down at the dull planet below her orbiting ship. It wasn't much to look at, but perhaps this mission meant too much to her. She was slowly realizing that…

 _ **I remember. I remember when the Jedi were great heroes of the Republic. Or so I thought. I remember when everything fell apart and they all fled – the survivors of an extinct breed. I remember my friends falling away one by one. I remember being alone. I remember being entombed in yellow rock. I remember waking up, and who was there?**_

 _ **His voice – the pain – I remember it all. I was helpless. But now…now, I get to confront you. The Emperor may be beyond my grasp, but I can control this one small thing. This one source of embedded hatred – my obsession that led to my downfall.**_

Sheena disengaged the autopilot and aimed for the planet. So it would begin.

* * *

"I do hope you are using a secure channel, my boy. The Rebels are in a precarious position, at the moment."

Luke grimaced while fiddling with the frequency to attempt a clearer signal, but that was unlikely.

"I know it's a risk, Ben, but… I had a vision."

"Your training is going well then, I trust?"

"Yeah, but… I saw Sheena kill you. Not just a normal dream. I could _feel_ it."

"A possible future?"

"Ben, if she's there, you gotta get out of there."

"You need not worry for me, Luke. Sheena is currently on assignment; however, my place is with her. I cannot abandon her."

"You're supposed to be dead, but you're not! Don't tempt fate over a hunch that she might be alright! It's not your obligation to save her."

"Remember the day she saved my life? Search your feelings. You sensed something that day. There is more to Sheena Lerann than meets the eye. She has been fighting this battle for a long time. You should return to your training. The Rebels will need your help."

Luke glared at the now-silent transmitter, refusing to believe that that Rebellion – that he – could go on without Obi-Wan's constancy.

"They need yours too."

* * *

"Lieutenant Onasi, I have an important assignment that may require your unique qualifications."

"I somehow doubt that, General," Liam chuckled, taking a seat across from his superior. "Besides, I intend to wait for Sheena's return before going anywhere."

"I'm afraid your unresolved personal issues will have to wait, Liam. The Rebellion is in a precarious position. We need allies. And it has been brought to my attention that you may have some very specific connections regarding a faction of deprogrammed clones."

The younger man's attention snapped into focus.

"Sir, I'm flattered, but I haven't heard from them in years."

"But you ran a guerilla campaign against the Empire with them for some time. Surely, you can track them down again. Their experience and inside knowledge could prove invaluable to our cause." Liam scowled doubtfully. "At least think about it."

"No promises. General."

* * *

" _Obi-Wan!"_

 _She coughed through the smoke, leaning against the shattered railing for support. It only took a moment to spot him, trapped underneath a bulkhead. The retired Jedi was too injured to move it himself._

 _Sheena unclipped the lightsaber at her side and made eye contact with her old friend, who reached out to her. She engaged her weapon, the blade glowing an angry red against the rising flames._

" _Sheena…"_

" _It's pointless, Obi-Wan."_

 _She struck, and the hand fell._

Sheena opened her eyes slowly, conscious of the close quarters of her one-man ship, still in lightspeed on her way back to the Rebels. That dream… That weapon… With a sigh, the woman laid a hand over her prize – evidence of victory to show the General. A lightsaber with an angry red blade.

* * *

"Liam!"

Lieutenant Onasi's heart sprung into his throat at the sound emerging from the next airlock over. The sight of his old friend stepping through the doorway made him want to sweep her into his arms and never let her go. Even the few days away from her seemed an eternity. He hadn't realized how much that time at the abandoned base, getting reacquainted with her, had affected him. But then, he remembered how little she tolerated being touched. He settled for walking calmly up to her and brushing a strand of hair away from her face, which she accepted with some befuddlement.

"Your mission was successful, I take it?"

"Yes." Sheena looked around at the two small crates stacked outside the other airlock and the satchel slung over Liam's shoulders. "Going somewhere?"

"General Rieeken insisted that I track down the deprogrammed clones I used to run with, but…I don't have much of an idea of where to start."

Sheena shifted her feet.

"I…might have an idea. When I was with the Empire, I heard rumors of a settlement on Cyphar in the Spirva Sector. Rumor had it that the settlers were all old soldiers with the same face."

"I guess I'll start there," he smiled, but Liam could see her discomfort. "Hey." Her eyes flickered back into focus. She was much more confident and less skittish than when they first found her, but he could still see that ghostly look in her eyes more often than he liked. "Just remember: You're not alone anymore. You have Obi-Wan, and General Rieeken is beginning to trust you as well. Just keep this up and you'll be a Rebel in no time."

He could tell Sheena's joy of seeing her old friend was being overshadowed by a painfully vivid doubt. Fitting in to this ragtag group hadn't exactly been smooth for her – getting stabbed by a vengeful mother and enduring the suspicious gazes of the less-informed passengers. Liam could feel a cold pit in his stomach – the fear of finding her gone when he got back from this mission.

"Yeah," she flinched, carefully watching a passing crewman. Her solo assignment had apparently been far more comforting than this death trap – at least, that was likely how she saw it. "They give me the same looks the Imperial crewmembers gave. They don't trust me. They only see danger. And you're leaving."

"But I'm coming back." A pit was starting to form in his stomach. She was starting to get that beaten dog look again, and it tore at him. She stared at the empty air, seeing whatever personal horror came to call in these moments. "What's wrong?"

"Hm?" Her wandering focus darted back to him, clearly attempting to resist her paranoia. "What makes you say that?"

He rolled his eyes, prying a begrudging smile from her.

" _That_ look. Don't think I don't see it."

"I've been having dreams. Something is coming. I just have a bad feeling about this. Like…like I'll never see…"

She stubbornly looked over Liam's shoulder, taking a shaky breath. He stepped back into her line of sight, determined to not let her mind go to that dark place.

"Listen to me," he growled. "This isn't like that time. There's no cryogenic rock, and no one's going to take you away."

"Yeah. Sure."

That look. He'd do anything to stop that look. Anything to keep those demons away. In a way, he had singlehandedly caused those demons. He'd locked her away in a cage when her Dark Jedi hunt had consumed her. He had forgotten about the fallback plan – the grenade with the cryogenic rock. He left and came back to find the room filled with that rock and no way to get her out. By the time he figured out a way, someone had beat him to it. She was gone. In his attempt to protect Sheena from herself, he betrayed her, and now he would do anything to take it back.

"Sheena." With a sigh, he pulled the woman into his chest and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She stiffened at first, but finally rested her forehead on his shoulder, her hands tightly holding onto the pockets of his jacket. "I'm on your side. And I'm coming back. I promise."

* * *

General Rieeken looked up from his reports as his office door opened to allow Sheena Lerann's entrance.

"Was your mission successful?"

 _Sheena cut down a third guard, sending the last two fleeing. She entered the pavilion, which was abandoned aside from her target. He stood with his back to her at the railing, overlooking the grey, rocky landscape. His dark cloak enshrouded his frame and Sheena suddenly realized – she had never actually seen this man's face._

 _He was a shadow. An enigma. An idea of hatred embedded in her soul. Her hunt for him had started with a hostage situation gone bad, which resulted in her first innocent life taken. It had almost gotten her best friends killed. It had destroyed her potential as a Jedi. And here he was._

 _The hunter slowly approached the stationary figure, hand hovering over her lightsasber. He didn't move, even as she reached the rail a mere ten feet from his position. Standing parallel to him, his face was still covered. But she didn't have to see his face; his presence was etched into her very soul. The Emperor had teased her with the knowledge of his whereabouts once or twice – just another slave of the Empire – but she had never been granted his actually location. Until now._

" _So." His tired, gravelly voice caught her off-guard. "You finally found me."_

" _You knew I was looking?" she sniffed._

" _Hard not to. I could feel your rage through the Force. Even in your long sleep, it filled your unconscious thoughts. You poured all of your anger, your sorrow, and your pain into finding me. And the Emperor hid me." He looked toward her and she saw a flash of brown eyes before he turned back. "Until now. Do you wonder why?"_

" _Up until this point, I was a bit busy getting tormented by the good Emperor. I suppose he's finally tiring of these games."_

" _You know, then, that this is what he wants. He wants one of us to kill the other and become more closely entangled in his web."_

" _I am not in his web any longer," Sheena snarled, but the Dark Jedi saw through her._

" _A lie I once told myself. The only way to bring down the Emperor, however, is to play his little game. You know what the Sith are looking for. You have a greater chance than I of landing the killing blow."_

 _Sheena's eyes widened. Not only was this encounter not going to plan, but the very idea of facing the Emperor again made her sick._

" _That place will not be mine."_

 _She jumped as the man's lightsaber shot into existence._

" _Then you shall die."_

Sheena strode to General Rieeken's desk and wordlessly held her target's lightsaber out to him. The Rebel studied it from where he was before nodding in satisfaction.

"Keep it. I have no use for it. Consider it a trophy."

"Jedi don't keep trophies."

He gave her a side-eye.

"But you are not a Jedi."

Sheena stood there for a moment, lightsaber outstretched. It was different from her own – black, weighted, its hilt nearly the length of her forearm. This weapon had belonged to a nemesis that had haunted her for years. Her muscles still ached from their duel on that pavilion. Talion. His name was Talion. He'd told her right after she struck the mortal blow. Now those brown eyes would join the others she had killed – watching from beyond the Veil.

Finally, slowly, she clipped the weapon onto her belt opposite her curved saber. The extra weight against her thigh would take some getting used to. Only then did she notice how tired the Rebel leader seemed.

"Is something wrong, General?"

"We have yet to hear from the Princess or Captain Solo. Or Commander Skywalker, for that matter. Now that our heads aren't spinning quite as much from evacuating the Hoth System, we need to start thinking of potential scouts. We don't have much of a trail to follow."

She scoffed.

"I'm sure Master Kenobi would be quick to tell you if Luke was in any immediate danger."

"I know. But we can't afford to lose any more good people. If we're going to win this fight, we need to start thinking bigger."

Sheena cocked her head.

"What did you have in mind?"

"You've proven yourself – I'm satisfied that you're a valuable asset to our cause. As you know, I sent Lieutenant Onasi to enlist the help of some of his old friends."

"I'm afraid I don't have such luxuries," the woman sniffed, leaning against the wall with a subtle eyeroll. "I probably know far more people you would want dead than as an ally."

"But your current reputation might help in this case."

She smiled slyly.

"Count me in."

* * *

"Sheena, this is a suicide mission. These pirates will not take kindly to you trying to recruit them."

"I know. But we need the allies. And… I need to prove that I'm worth something."

"But you are."

Master Kenobi stubbornly stood in her way as the woman moved to leave her quarters with a packed bag.

"I need to prove that to myself."

"I shall accompany you."

"Obi-Wan…"

"This is not an option on your part, Sheena."

Sheena stood for a moment in silence, debating the issue, and Obi-Wan was patiently obliging. Things were coming to a head. She could feel it. Vader was searching for something, but she could feel that his gaze was not entirely on her – it hadn't been for a long time. He was hunting for his son, and she had a feeling that it would be the end of a better chapter for her.

With a teasing smile, the former Jedi shouldered her bag and nodded her acceptance.

"The Great Negotiator is back at it, eh? Let's recruit some pirates."


	14. Surrender is Stronger

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday! Only a couple more chapters to go, so please do take a look at my profile, which has working titles/descriptions for future stories. I have a poll to try gleaning interest, so do take a peek or PM me with any suggestions. Reviews are also much appreciated for morale and critiques!

Also, many thanks to zoegrover (an excellent writer you should definitely check out) for beta-reading!

Surrender is Stronger

Sheena settled into the pilot's seat of the two-man cruiser. Obi-Wan declined to comment on her new foot-long black lightsaber hilt as she adjusted her belt. Her old Jedi weapon hung from her left side - its curved, silver handle with decorative vinework and yellow blade a testament to better times. He had witnessed her practicing with both – experimenting with new fighting forms, utilizing the Light and Dark. It worried him. The youthful, put-together lady who had defied the odds seemed very far away.

 _"Sheena? Are you all right?"_

 _"Yes, Master Kenobi. Thank you."_

 _"I was wondering if you would like to spar with me. Anakin and I are going on another mission in a few days and I wanted the chance to challenge our newest member." Sheena just stood there for a moment. She seemed rather disturbed for someone whose months of hard study had just been acknowledged by the High Council. He was grateful for her presence. Her circumstance and age proximity made her an excellent friend for Anakin. They seemed to sympathize with each other in their peculiarities. He knew Anakin confided in her; it comforted his frequent concerns. "Are you sure you're all right?"_

 _"Obi-Wan…do you ever feel like everything going on is just…wrong? Things are going so well, but, in some of the visions I had before, nothing was going well."_

 _Obi-Wan put an encouraging hand on her shoulder and smiled. His interaction with Sheena since her return had been somewhat limited, but he found her efforts admirable. The Sith had kidnapped her as a child, apparently fearing what she might become; she spent fourteen years having no influence from her Jedi family on a strange world; and she had spent the past months using her own intellect and instinct to earn the Jedi's respect since her shocking return. And she had succeeded. She had much to be proud of, yet he knew her visions continually caused doubt for her. He hoped she was wrong in her concerns…_

 _"Maybe your arrival did more good than you think. There must have been a reason for the Sith to send you away. You don't seem like the type to give in that easily."_

 _"No, I suppose not," she smiled slightly, hopefully with her mind at ease._

Upon detaching from the airlock, Sheena winced and took a few seconds to massage the spot where the Rebel mother's knife had gone into her side.

"How is your injury?"

"Couple bacta patches, I'm almost as good as new," she smiled back, putting in their lightspeed coordinates.

"Sheena, I would like to ask about your confrontation with the Dark Jedi."

She didn't let him get any farther.

"He attacked first, if that helps." The woman glanced at him briefly before initiating lightspeed. Obi-Wan was a little taken aback at her abruptness. After all they had been through, he hoped to rejuvenate their friendship, especially with so few Jedi from the old days. "But he didn't walk out of there. I did."

After a moment's silence, Obi-Wan's contemplation was interrupted by a groping darkness through the Force he knew all too well. Vader was closing in on Luke's location. It wouldn't be long before he would find his target – and Master Yoda. Their crucial training would be cut painfully short by an army of Imperials.

"Obi-Wan." The man hummed a response, breaking from his thoughts. "Do you believe that there really is a 'Chosen One' who will bring balance?"

"It was a prophecy that the many Jedi believed. And yes, I also believe Luke is that person."

"I'm not so sure. I sense he's important, but… You really want to protect him?" Sheena held his gaze. She sensed it too – the hand reaching towards the boy they had given up everything to protect. But the Emperor was hunting for her and Obi-Wan as well. If she could grasp their attention, it would mean both of their lives would be forfeited. "Are you ready? Truly ready?"

"You wish to draw their gaze? Yes. I suppose I am ready."

With a deep intake of breath, the fallen Jedi closed her eyes in meditation. He could feel her reaching out, her presence a distinct mesh of mottled control and passion. Her presence almost reminded him of Qui-Gon or Mace Windu – people who had accepted their darker instincts, but had used them for good. This was certainly not the Sheena Lerann he had known and cared about during the Clone Wars. This woman had sacrificed herself completely so that others might have hope. And now, she was about to do it again.

In the silence of the ship, Sheena turned to her old friend.

"It is done."

"Sheena." The younger woman turned back, confused by the lack of confidence in his tone. Her limp black hair was escaping from its ponytail; he remembered its severe, professional A-line – never a hair out of place. Her eyes were hollow, perpetually exhausted, hunted; he remembered their inquisitiveness and wonder. "I want to apologize."

Those tired eyes flickered away.

"For what?"

"You came to me once – after you had been captured by the Emperor, forced to kill one of your dearest friends, and barely escaped with your life. You found me in my hut on Tatooine when the horrors of Anakin's fall were still at the forefront of my memory – both of us broken, in our own way. I had hidden myself away from the world, content in my solitude, and you came to me with your spirit freshly broken. If I had done more to help, your path likely would not have ended in attracting the Emperor's renewed attention."

 _"How did you escape the clones?" the hermit asked, sitting across from his unexpected visitor. "If I recall correctly, you were on a ship heading for Kashyyyk at that time."_

 _A new, haunted expression had settled in his former cohort's eyes._

 _"Liam, Mat…Matri'a, and I killed about a third of the troops on that cruiser and managed to escape in one of the shuttles. We investigated the Temple and have been on the run ever since. Have you seen any other Jedi?"_

 _"On occasion. You?"_

 _She sighed._

 _"Not since the Purge began." With a shaky breath, she leaned against the table and rested her forehead on her hand. "I know you have something on your mind, Obi-Wan. Spit it out."_

 _"Why are you here, Sheena?" Kenobi somewhat demanded, a little more abrasive than he intended. "It's hard enough to stay under the radar without having old Jedi_ _friends_ _of mine barging in and disturbing the Sand People."_

 _"What are you trying to protect, General?"_

 _"I've been helping. But, every time I help, something goes wrong or I attract too much attention. It's better if I remain hidden, for everyone's sake. If I don't, the Empire will certainly come knocking."_

 _"I could have used your help!" she responded crossly, slamming her hand on the table._

 _"And we could have used_ _your_ _help before this all began. Weren't you having visions of the Sith returning?"_

 _"Yes, but I couldn't make sense of them and they disappeared a while ago."_

 _"Couldn't you have tried? Why was the Emperor so afraid of you when you weren't even a threat?"_

 _"I_ _was_ _a threat," she growled. "The Emperor sent me to another time and galaxy to avoid the Fate I would bring, and he succeeded. Or did you forget? I, however, was still a danger to him. His desire for revenge against the trouble I caused and my desire for companionship cost the life of someone I cared about."_

 _"But why did you not confront Anakin? Maybe you could have just told me more about his troubles so I could have talked to him."_

 _Obi-Wan was being sincere, but Sheena snapped at the implications._

 _"I couldn't tell anything. Or maybe I was in denial. You think I wanted this? You think I knew this would happen?! I watched Jedi die too, you know. Matri'a was one of the closest things I had to a friend and…" She cut off with a twitch. So, it was Matri'a she had lost. "We all suffered."_

 _Obi-Wan leaned back in his chair, rubbing his throat as painfully fresh memories bubbled to the surface. Anakin had nearly choked him to death during that battle._

 _"Anakin is lost."_

 _"I heard that he died in the Temple." Obi-Wan stared at her with sad eyes. "But that's not what really happened, is it?"_

 _"You have heard of Darth Vader?"_

Sheena closed her eyes, perhaps recalling the days that had started her path down the Dark Side.

"I may have allowed myself to be consumed by my pain after leaving your hut that day, Obi-Wan, but I have only myself to blame. I let this happen. Because of my actions, I was able to help keep attention away from you and Luke. We lost everything. Everything changed. It can't be helped. Maybe things will be better, but it's hard to hope when you've had none for so long."

Obi-Wan's lips suddenly ticked upward.

"Well, I've certainly noticed that Liam is helping in that regard."

She blushed slightly. Her smile was hesitant.

"You're a good friend, Obi-Wan. I'm sorry I haven't been grateful for your efforts."

* * *

"Sheena." Lord Vader stared out at the stars from the bridge of his command ship, empty aside from his simpleton crew. Even if he didn't know her exact location, he could feel Sheena's anguish across the distance. "So, you have come out of hiding. And, with you…Obi-Wan. Tired of running at last…my old friend?"

"My lord." The Sith glared at his underling's untimely appearance, but the breathing mask prevented the little man from witnessing his withering disapproval. "That… _bounty hunter_ …Fett. He reported in, saying that he's tracked the escaped ship – the Millennium Falcon – to the Anoat Sector. He claims he knows their destination and that we can reach the planet in ample time to set a trap, since they have lost lightspeed capability." Vader wanted to ignore these suggestions. He wanted to find his son. He wanted to find Obi-Wan. And he wanted to find Sheena. He wanted to find them in his own way and time, but it seemed the Force had other plans. "My lord?"

"An opportunity that must not be missed, Captain. Give the bounty hunter authorization to _negotiate_ with the local authorities on our behalf until my arrival. Inform the nearest cruiser to occupy the location provided." He turned with a threatening finger. "I want this completed before the Millenium Falcon lands, and I want there to be no evidence of our plan when it does. Do you understand?"

"Occupy the location and give the targets no cause for alarm until you are ready," the officer gulped. "Understood, sir. Sh…shall I have your shuttle prepared?"

Vader's first tightened in annoyance. The officer was acting more like a chamber maid than a military professional.

"See to it. It seems we must draw Skywalker to us. My attention is required elsewhere, in the meantime. Inform me when my shuttle is ready."

"Right away, my lord."

* * *

"Concentrate. Feel the Force flow! Yes…"

Luke opened his eyes, vaguely aware of the objects floating in the air at his bidding. It was, to say the least, difficult to ignore R2's wondering whistles, but he was making an incredible effort to obey Master Yoda's prompts. He really could feel the Force now…almost something tangible that he could reach out to on command. The trainee opened his eyes as he sensed something new – something tied to his very being, yet independent at the same time. Was this really what being a Jedi felt like? This vulnerability – this power?

"Good. Yes. Through the Force, things you will see – other places – the future, the past." Curious, the lad reached out farther than he ever had before. If he could feel all of the beings in his immediate surroundings, could he really do what Yoda said? Right now, with this new connection, he felt like he could do almost anything. But a thought suddenly occurred to him: Were his friends alright? "Old friends long gone."

Leia… Han… Obi-Wan… Were they alright? A pit suddenly formed in his stomach as Luke's vision was invaded by an image of two of his friends. They were being tortured!

"Han? Leia!"

They were in pain…so much pain!

The floating objects crashed to the ground one by one as the boy lost control, overcome by these thoughts, these visions! His own body rag-dolled into the forest floor as he collapsed in shock.

"Hmm. Control, control! You must learn control!"

First, a vision of Obi-Wan being killed; now this!

"I saw… I saw a city in the clouds."

Yoda was unimpressed by his student's horror.

"Hm. Friends you have there."

"They were in pain!"

"It is the future you see."

"The future…" His worst fears had been realized. He had been gone too long! What had happened while he had hidden himself away in this swamp?! "Will they die?"

Yoda closed his eyes in thought.

"Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future."

That wasn't a no. In the young Skywalker's perspective, there was no choice now. He cared about his friends more than anything. He may not have been able to pin down Obi-Wan's location when he had that vision, but his gut instinct would at least lead him to Han and Leia. After all they had done for him, he couldn't let them down!

"I've gotta go to them!"

The boy shot up, bent on grabbing his gear, but Yoda's foreboding words did make him pause for a moment.

"Decide you must how to serve them best. If you leave now, help them you could, but… You would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered."

Han and Leia had given up their safety and freedom. Obi-Wan had given up his entire life to keep his safe. Sheena had given up her integrity to ensure the Emperor's gaze remained astray. Luke was at a loss for words, but he didn't have a choice. He _had_ to go… He owed these people too much. He had a responsibility to them; it was his turn.

* * *

"Sheena… Where are you, my old friend?"

Vader closed his shielded eyes, with nothing but the hum of his shuttle and the breathing of his underlings to disturb his meditation. He could feel her presence, and Obi-Wan through her. She was on a mission, travelling to an unknown destination. But he didn't require knowledge of her physical location. He could feel her through the Force. Her mental defenses were shaky, at best; and he could sense her conflict, regardless of the distance between them. Why had she fought for so long, only to seek him out? He had reached out to her multiple times since her original 'escape', only to be pushed aside. What had changed?

"Are you with _him_? You know what must be done – what has always been destined to be. You saved him; now you must end him. It is the only way. The only way you'll be free of this burden. I can feel your pain…"

* * *

"There it is. Desolate little planet, isn't it?"

Obi-Wan skeptically studied the readings on his console.

"You're sure of these pirates' potential?"

"No, but the reports said they've certainly been sticking it to the Empire." Sheena turned away from the giant grey orb to offer her companion a twisted, wry smile. He sensed she was…almost at peace. She had made a decision. Idly, he wondered which direction that decision was about to take them. "Let's do a few scans to see what we're dealing with."

* * *

"We must bring balance."

He felt her for a moment – daring, teasing, sickened.

" _So, that's what you've been doing? Bringing balance?"_

"It is the only way. The Emperor's rule will not last forever – the future is not his. And Obi-Wan is a link to the past that must remain there – even he knows his time has come."

" _And you think you're going to just walk up to the Emperor and murder him to death?"_ He felt her chuckle to herself. _"I'm afraid. I don't like that part of myself; it's dangerous – toxic. But it never goes away."_

"It is your destiny. You cannot escape it. Where was Obi-Wan when you were trapped, hunted, and crushed under the Emperor's heel? You owe him nothing. Complete your task – _end him_. Only with me can you help end the tyranny of the Emperor. And only after Kenobi is gone can you be free."

" _And maybe you're right."_

* * *

Obi-Wan shuffled back into the cockpit after treating himself to a bit of tea. Sheena was positioning the ship for its landing trajectory, putting in the final calculations to let the computer do the heavy lifting.

"You know," she commented without looking back, "I still do want to kill you. Just because I've gained some control doesn't mean the Emperor's programming is gone. Just because I know something is wrong at a basic level doesn't mean every instinct isn't trying to go against that. You think you're safe with me. But you're not."

Kenobi leaned against the back of his chair, unruffled, and held out a datapad to the woman. He had seen his death; it really did not concern him if she was the one to make it reality, as long as it led to her ultimate redemption, in the end.

"You received a transmission, text only; didn't want to pry."

Sheena took the device with a puzzled expression and scanned its contents for a brief moment. He waited patiently, listening to the hum of the engines moving them through the planet's atmosphere.

He didn't have to wait long. The datapad went clattering to the floor. The dark-haired lady looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"What is it?"

"Th… They received a report. It's Liam. He's…" She twitched back to reality, looking her friend in the eyes. "They think he's dead."

Whatever emotional turmoil Sheena was experiencing was overwhelmed by a more pressing matter: Something had hit the ship – possibly debris or a deliberate projectile. Either way, their descent was no longer smooth. Sheena flew into action, disengaging the autopilot. The dooming datapad slid to the back of the compartment as another impact jarred their vessel.

"Inertial dampener's giving out. Strap in!"

"That last hit disabled our communications and hyperdrive. Hopefully, some of those lifesigns below us are a bit helpful."

Sheena shot him a quick glare between jolts to spite his calm demeanor.

"Emergency thrusters aren't kicking in… Engine's too hot. We're losing altitude too fast. We're going down!"

* * *

"Yes… I can feel your fear."

Vader smiled to himself. Something had snapped into place for his former Jedi compatriot – a despair, a longing, a decision. She was ready, and it pleased him.

* * *

What was that pounding? Was it really just inside her own head? The fallen Jedi slowly curled inward on herself, grasping her head to stop the throbbing boom. And the spinning. She took another moment to focus on not losing her last meal. And another moment.

At last, the universe stopping rotating on its own accord and Sheena summoned the willpower to crack her eyes open. Somehow, she had landed on the floor between the pilot and co-pilot seats – that could easily be fixed. The woman released her cradled head and reached to pull herself upright. When she grabbed ahold of her chair, however, her hand slipped.

Blood. Her hand was coated with it, slick and sticky. But from where? Blasted, her head hurt!

Stubbornly, she braced one hand against the back of her screaming skull and the other on the chair. Like ripping off a bacta patch, she clambered up to her seat with a gasp. As she abruptly gulped in the hot air, Sheena's lungs protested with a coughing fit. Smoke was filling the compartment, billowing from the fire finally reaching her conscious thoughts. Something was wrong, but she couldn't quite place it. Where were they?

They… Obi-Wan!

"Mas…" She choked again on the toxic air before staggering to her feet. "Obi-Wan!"

She stumbled into the main hold of the ship, leaning against the shattered railing for support. Storage containers and structural supports alike had succumbed to the force of their little cruiser's landing. A cough caught her attention. Seeing him trapped under that bulkhead, just like in her vision…the urge to kill him – to end her conflict – surged over her and she froze. He may have been her friend, but he was also the reason for most of the torture the Emperor had subjected her to since she saved the old Jedi's life. She had accepted her place. She hadn't asked for this. She hadn't asked for him to try and save her.

Numbly, the woman unclipped her new lightsaber. So easy… Her own thoughts sickened her, but she was so tired of this half-life.

 _Kill him. Kill him now._

Obi-Wan looked up at her and reached his hand up in submission. He wanted to die. She knew how much Anakin's turning still haunted his waking moments, however stable he pretended to be. Had their places been exchanged, maybe the Great Negotiator would have held out longer against the Emperor, or even kept his moral compass in check through the experience. Yet here they were. Two sides of the same coin. They had both been ready for the end on the Death Star that day. Both had been denied. So many dead before their time while these two broken soldiers marched on. Death seemed so sweet, but she had finally given up on that escape for herself.

"It's alright, Sheena. I know how conflicted you are. And I know you can fight it. You can just leave me. My time was over long ago." With a vicious flick, her lightsaber shot into existence, its blade glowing furiously against the growing flames. She finally met his gaze. "Sheena…"

So easy. The Jedi were gone. And now Liam was gone. She needed release, resolution, an end! Why shouldn't it be the end of someone who's life was already forfeit?

"It's pointless, Obi-Wan. You and I both knew it would come to this."

"Sheena."

"I warned you. Old friend. But you wouldn't listen. I'm doing both of us a favor."

 _Kill him._


	15. Mortal Coil

Mortal Coil

"You know how many people I killed? Not even including the people I blew up in a ship or organized their assassination - just the ones who saw the whites of my eyes. And only including the ones after the Emperor woke me up. Let me think. The Dark Jedi, those two Rebel operatives I already told you about, plus the house-cleaning they sent me on a few months before you showed up on the Death Star, and the regular assignments… Maybe a hundred? I tried to keep track, just to keep myself accountable. Didn't work as well as I hoped. After a while, it didn't matter. All the blood on my hands…"

Sheena took a long draught of the alcohol she had found in one of the intact compartments before continuing. She snickered a little between coughs. Potent stuff.

"You know, things were perfectly fine – miserable, but I had accepted it – before you showed up on their doorstep. You just couldn't stay hidden, could you? You just had to bring Luke out of hiding – out of his naïve little world – to go adventuring and get yourselves trapped. You were meant to die that day. You knew it; I knew it; Vader knew it. But I couldn't leave well enough alone. I was tired of being a slave, so, when I saw you, I had a thought: If I turned everything on its head by saving you and, by default, our supposed savior of the galaxy, Vader would be angry enough to turn on me and end it all."

The woman flinched and touched her head to make sure it hadn't started bleeding again. Her silky black hair was a frizzy, matted mess, thanks to the crash and everything that had happened since. She tried smoothing it out but was mostly unsuccessful. The rest of her wasn't much better. Her face and hands were streaked with dirt and grease, and her grey robes were torn and singed. Here previous task hadn't helped things.

"I was wrong," the fallen Jedi continued. "Dead wrong. I begged Vader to kill me before the Emperor could get his hands on me. He wouldn't do it. Shockingly enough, we did have little flickering moments of companionship, at times. We had an understanding. Neither of us really wanted what we got, but it was too late. So we embraced it and let the Darkness pull us under. We fell because we were trying to protect the people we cared about. I suppose I succeeded. But you _had_ to ruin everything by coming back. I lived when I was ready for release, and everything changed after that. The Emperor didn't stop. He never stops."

A breeze disturbed the dust at Sheena's feet. She looked up to find the empty, tree-scattered plains rippling under the hazy setting sun.

"You were foolish enough to think you could save me, after everything. This day was always coming. We may have delayed it, but it was always meant to be. Maybe there was once hope. But now… You know I told Liam where he might find the clones? Now he's dead too. Everyone who really cares about me seems to die. Matri'a, Liam…and you. Well…it's over now. Maybe Luke will save the galaxy. Maybe we'll all die in fire. But I'm not sure I care anymore."

She stood and grabbed the torch from her fire. The temperature was dropping rapidly with the setting sun.

"Not exactly a fitting end for you, is it? Not that you really care. If you think you made a difference for me, then I'll let you think that. But here we are. I'm sorry I never had the chance to become the Jedi everyone wanted me to be. I'm sorry I lost myself. I'm sorry I became a pawn. But remember, I did it for you and for Luke. I can only hope it was all worth it. You were…the best a Jedi could be. I hope you get to see your old Master again, just as I hope to see mine. Someday. But we did it. We kept Luke safe. Now, it's up to him."

With a slow, contemplative exhalation, the lone woman stepped forward and lit the pyre. The heat washed against her furiously, stinging her eyes and sending shivers down her spine. Tears skipped down her cheeks – part mourning and part relief – as the flames consumed the robed figure.

It was over. The great General Obi-Wan Kenobi was dead. An emptiness filled the broken lady's soul, creeping and clinging. She wasn't in the Emperor's possession to take his orders. She didn't have Liam or Obi-Wan to keep her balanced. Without a direction or guide, she was a woman out of time and purpose. After the Purge, she had started this road for vengeance; then continued to keep the Empire's eyes away from Luke; then simply because of the prodding of others. Now, she had no direction. No purpose. Now what?

The appearance of a foreign-looking ship on the horizon answered that last question. Sheena breathed a sigh. Could no one just…end it? Master Josall. Matri'a. Obi-Wan. And Liam… Why Liam? She crumpled to the ground, finally overcome by the crushing despair and loneliness. All the things she had done had left her so alone.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything…"

My past has tasted bitter  
For years now  
So I wield an iron fist  
Grace is just weakness  
Or so I've been told  
I've been cold, I've been merciless  
But the blood on my hands scares me to death  
Maybe I'm waking up today.

\- Jaymes Young


	16. Visit from a Ghost

I confess. I am changing some of the context of later conversations in the canon, but not (foreseeably) their content. Many thanks to zoegrover for beta-reading! Favorites, follows, and reviews are greatly appreciated. Please enjoy!

Visit from a Ghost

 _Obi-Wan was trapped, reaching out to his only hope of rescue from the choking smoke._

"Ben."

" _It's pointless, Obi-Wan. You and I both knew it would come to this."_

"Sheena."

Luke tossed in his sleep, willing the madness to end. The old Jedi's failed charity attempt loomed over him, holding a ruby lightsaber.

" _I warned you. But you wouldn't listen. I'm doing both of us a favor."_

"Ben!"

" _I'm sorry, Sheena."_

" _So am I."_

 _She raised her blade and struck._

"No!"

Luke nearly toppled out of bed in his haste to awaken and was quite glad for his private quarters as a result. He had felt Obi-Wan's death acutely, even in his desperate plunge to save his friends at Cloud City, but the mysterious circumstances continued to haunt him. During a time when the young Skywalker needed his mentor the most – after finding out that _Vader_ was his father and that Ben had known the whole time – it wasn't fair. He knew who was responsible for taking his friend, but how or why? He had so many questions.

In the weeks and months following the abandonment of the Hoth base, the Rebels had been in a scramble to reorganize and reassess their position. This had certainly kept Luke physically busy, but his mind was preoccupied. He was desperate for more answers about his father. He had a promise to keep to Leia that they would rescue Han. And he had a growing determination to find the woman last seen with his mentor – a mentor who happened to have known about his true father all these years and _lied._ Wasn't he supposed to be 'one with the Force' at this point? Didn't that mean…?

"Sheena was a good friend. And a noble Jedi Knight."

Skywalker nearly jumped out of his skin when the subject of one of his quandaries suddenly appeared, seated quite casually at the table. He knew this would happen, but the Force Ghost concept was still unsettling. The young man couldn't help but feel resentful over this entire situation. With the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance, the great Jedi Master had chosen a crumpled slave over his best friend's son.

"Obi-Wan. Somehow, I find that hard to believe. You took a slave of the Emperor, let her into your life, and insisted on trying to save her. Look where it got you! Look where it got me."

"Your encounter with Darth Vader…"

"Is it true?"

Ben folded his hands thoughtfully and pointedly disregarded both the question and the scathing expression.

"There's more to Sheena than you care to admit, Luke. The only way you can learn some truths is by facing them in the flesh." Again with his riddles. He was probably talking about more than just Sheena, but the lad wasn't awake enough to consider the possibilities. "Sheena Lerann has faced many demons, but she _needs_ to know she is not alone. She needs your help, Luke, and you hers. I can assist you, but it is for you that she ultimately sacrificed everything to protect. She needs to know she is not a failure from _you_."

Luke scowled blearily. Thanks to Ben's tardiness in bothering to show up, the sting of his absence had lessened a degree or two. Maybe it had helped too that Master Kenobi had warned him incessantly of his impending doom. Yoda's training had also helped. With his renewed bond with the Force, Obi-Wan's death almost seemed more of a shift rather than a loss; he was dead, but still present through the Force. These crazy Jedi concepts were finally starting to feel less foreign.

"Why didn't you tell me, Ben?" the boy asked, his irritation increasing. "I have to know."

"And I will answer." The old man adjusted his robes tolerantly. He had all the time in the world. "When you are ready."

The Rebel's jaw tensed a moment as he wearied of this dance.

"And what makes you think she can help? Eh, never mind. I guess you're right about me owing her. But I still need to know these things."

"You have learned much of the Dark and Light. But I want you learn that not everything is black and white. Not everything has only one truth. Something I took far too long to discover – what my own master tried to teach me – is that there is something more than what most Jedi or Sith choose to see, something Sheena Lerann has been struggling to master. I believe you can help her, and she you. I cannot tell you what happened on that planet, Luke. You must see for yourself. Only then will you be ready to understand the truths of Darth Vader. Trust your instincts, find Sheena; then you will be ready for the next step."

"At least tell me why she did it? Why did she sacrifice everything for…this _idea_?"

"Sheena saw herself going down a dark path. She had already been forced to kill a fellow Jedi, who was being tortured by the Emperor, when she came to me on Tatooine. When she learned of your existence, she realized she could use that to her own advantage. Like many others, she had sensed the fall of the Jedi Order, but failed to predict its harsh reality. She believed in you, my dear boy. She saw in you a hope that she had given up for herself."

Luke hung his head with a huff. It took all the control he possessed to not redirect the conversation to interrogate the old man about Vader, but he didn't have the energy to argue against Obi-Wan's stubbornness. And, if there was any chance of Sheena helping him or the cause, his obligations to the Alliance meant he had to take it. Besides, maybe this woman would be more willing to give him a straight answer, now that he knew.

"Fine. But only because I want to find out for myself why she was worth it."

He looked up for a response, but Ben was already gone.

* * *

" _Well, Skywalker, I hope you're sure about this,"_ the deck commander joked through the com.

"I'm not, but you guys sent her off to find allies. It'd be nice to see what happened. Never know. We could get lucky, and I could find people to turn the war in our favor."

" _I wish I had your optimism. Good luck."_

"Thanks. Hopefully, Chewie and Lando have had some luck by the time I get back."

" _You're clear for takeoff."_

"Alright, Sheena Lerann. Let's see if you're worth all this trouble."

Luke rolled his eyes as he fiddled with the controls to go to lightspeed. Part of him fought against the idea of chasing after this failed Jedi Knight, but she was in this mess partly because of him. He wondered if news of Lieutenant Liam Onasi's death had reached her before her disappearance.

It suddenly occurred to the young man that he should make sure he was looking for a _living_ target. They had heard nothing from her beyond the deceased Obi-Wan's illusive directions. Did she really kill Ben, as his dreams suggested, or was there more to it? Settling into the idea of this little voyage, he closed his eyes and reached out through the Force. This was this first time he had actively sought Sheena alone; her mind had always seemed so muddled, chaotic, and swirling – never staying in place. The Emperor had desired to use her as a tool. She fought it for many years, but she fell nonetheless. Now, here they were – on the edge. Luke wasn't sure on which side she had fallen.

He did find her, at last. A faint speck of clambering light – strangled, sighing, lost, and resigned. Her presence was like a boat with neither anchor nor paddle – eternally floating, displaced and silent, without a voice. He felt a pang of sympathy in that initial moment of contact. He had heard stories of her strength, determination, and loyalty. If what Obi-Wan _and_ Vader said was all true, Luke was beginning to understand the tragedy of Jedi Knight Sheena Lerann.

 _Sheena…_

She felt his warm, searching presence in her emptiness and her anguish. He tried to reach out, to give her something to hold onto until he could physically find her, but she flinched away and shut him out. Perhaps his destination would provide answers of this woman's descent into madness.


	17. Memories of the Fall

Many thanks to zoegrover for the keen proof-reading, as always! Please enjoy!

Memories of the Fall

Luke dropped onto the ground from his fighter with R2 not far behind him. The gritty plains stretched out for miles, making the crashed ship quite prominent. Aside from the breeze and the crunch of his own boots on the sandy earth, all was silent. He reached out through the Force and felt sadness and fear but no physical presence. Whoever had been aboard the Rebel cruiser was long gone or…dead.

Still, investigation was required if he was to glean anything to satisfy his burning curiosity. Even if the young Jedi couldn't yet solve the mysteries of his parentage, he could at least solve this one puzzle: the Jedi turned Sith slave turned Obi-Wan's pet project. Maybe Sheena Lerann had once been a respected Jedi Knight. Maybe she had been friends with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and dozens of other Force-users during a more civilized age. Maybe the Emperor did do something to try stifling her potential as a threat by kidnapping her and sending her away for most of her learning years. Maybe she did watch her world burn with the never-satisfied question of whether she could have done something to stop it.

But that still didn't explain why she had been consumed by hate. Why she had risked everything to create as much noise as possible to keep the Sith's eyes away from Tatooine. Why she fought so hard to reclaim her identity as a Jedi, only to throw it all away after the Purge. Why she became a shell of humanity. Why Obi-Wan and Liam fought so hard to give her time.

Time for what? Clearly, their plan hadn't worked. Granted, she hadn't tried to commit suicide too recently, but she was still tainted with the Dark Side. Even the people who weren't Force-sensitive could see she was lost, depressed, and closed off. What did they see in her? Whatever joyful, all-good woman they once knew was gone. So what was it? Admittedly, Luke had been a bit busy with his own galaxy-saving attempts to see any subtle changes. Had there really been enough hope in the end to stir Obi-Wan's determination for his protégé to see the fruit of their labor?

R2's high-pitched whistle redirected the Rebel's brooding.

"What is it, R2?"

He jogged over to where the little blue droid was shuffling and picked up the datapad that had been partly buried by the sand. It still looked functional, if a bit scratched. When he switched it on, the screen flickered to life with the last-received text transmission.

So, she did know about Liam's untimely end. More than that, this was a personal note from one of the generals who had worked with her the most in her reintegration efforts, Rieekan. He talked of how he had observed her growing attachment to Lieutenant Onasi and their return to an obviously long-developed repour – even great affection. He talked of how unfortunate it was that her long-awaited return to the Jedi had been cut short by the rise of the Empire, and how much more difficult everything would now be without yet another link to that time gone. He talked of how he greatly regretted informing her of the destruction of Liam's transport and the loss of transmission and that he was considered lost in action. He talked of how greatly he would miss Liam's counsel and hoped Sheena would consider continuing to aid the Alliance in his memory.

General Rieekan wouldn't welcome back a threat like Sheena with that much effort without reason. Clearly, the Rebel leader had seen something in his interactions that Luke had missed. At least, that was the theory. Apparently, she and Liam had been even closer than he previously assumed.

Again, the lad was rattled from his thoughts by his robotic companion's sense of adventure. The droid had left him behind, rolling into the crooked entrance of the downed ship just a stone's throw away. Luke trailed behind, pausing again at the entrance. The curved, silvery hilt of a lightsaber had been dropped just inside the gaping outer hatch. An elegant weapon created during a time that seemed utterly foreign to him. He reached to retrieve it.

 _A tired-looking Sheena Lerann and a vibrant Twi'lek female jogged down an empty hallway. They had been running and fighting for three years since the Purge began, with almost nothing to show for it._

 _"_ _Sheena…what if we are caught? The clones… We used to trust them with our lives."_

 _The other Knight's jaw tensed._

 _"_ _Whatever happens, we can't give up hope. We still don't know how many Jedi survived."_

 _"_ _But it's been three years since the Emperor took over. We've done nothing but run, steal supplies, destroy a few outposts, and look for other survivors. We've found no one! If we don't have any success soon, I…" The Twi'lek stopped in her tracks._

 _"_ _I sense it too."_

 _The Jedi drew their lightsabers as they approached a bend in the hallway. As she engaged her weapon and gazed at her glowing blade, a familiar pang of longing went through Sheena's heart. She had been proud to be a Sentinel, a bearer of the yellow lightsaber. The missions were full of secrecy, danger, and negotiations. Now, all she did was fight for her life. She had only been back with the Jedi a few short years before everything shattered. All of that effort and longing for her return for nothing._

 _"_ _Sheena," Matri'a whispered, "there are at least a dozen of them coming from behind as well. We can't take that many and get out alive."_

 _"_ _The only alternative is capture, Mattie…or using that amber stuff. Do you not remember the rumors we've heard of what they do to enemies of the Empire?"_

 _"_ _Do you have so little faith in us escaping within a day?" the girl chided, taking the lead in putting away her weapon. Matri'a smiled encouragingly, but Sheena's stomach dropped. "Besides, we might learn something."_

 _"_ _I have a bad feeling about this."_

Luke cautiously activated the weapon, fascinated by the resulting yellow glow and the unfamiliar grip. It was built for a fighting form based on control and calm. But now, it was permeated with loss and fear. It had been tossed aside, based on a belief that the owner wasn't worthy of carrying it.

 _Matri'a's screams cut through Sheena's attempt at defiance. The Emperor sat on a throne before her, surrounded by silent bodyguards, and her dear companion was currently being tortured by the mysterious Darth Vader. She had known that the Emperor had kidnapped and sent her away for a reason, and that he had been trying to get his claws on her ever since. She should have known that, after Order 66, the safety of being a Jedi would be gone and anyone with her would be in danger. She should have known better!_

 _Suddenly, out of the Emperor's cloak, appeared her lightsaber. He thoughtfully tested the grip and traced its casing as Matri'a's screams continued periodically._

 _"_ _You could take it, you know. You could strike me down and get your revenge. Or you could run to your friend's rescue and kill Vader while you have the chance. There is no escape while we are both still alive. Please, take your weapon, if you wish." Sheena stared longingly at the device, but remained still in front of the throne. "No? Perhaps you'll just let your friend die. Then what would that make you? What kind of a Jedi would you be to let an innocent suffer? And Lord Vader, after all, is the one who led the march on the Jedi Temple. Yes, I know that you were there. In your mind, he deserves death; we all do._

 _"So do it. Take your weapon. Only by giving in to your anger will you be able to overpower me." Her nostrils flared with amount of effort it was taking to maintain her self-control. What more was he ready to throw at her that might push her over the edge? "And you do realize, of course, that it was I who provided Anakin with the visions that pushed him toward his fate. I just gave him a nudge in the right direction by sending the dreams of his mother…and his wife. You see, my plans were far more complex and refined than any of the Jedi could possibly comprehend."_

Luke slowly deactivated the blade and hooked it to his belt. As he did so, a profound loneliness overcame him. Her loneliness and longing for that lost time and people she had loved so dearly. And Obi-Wan. He suddenly felt a little guilty for how he had taken Ben's guidance for granted. He remembered how it felt seeing his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru's home burned with their charred corpses. Even with his untrained senses, he had felt their loss.

But it was probably nothing compared to what these veterans must have felt. Evil taking over. Friends and fellow Jedi being cut down, and the Force crying out as they were helpless to stop it. Being hunted across dozens of worlds for imagined crimes by former comrades. Finding that one of their most beloved friends was the greatest perpetrator in all these atrocities. And living with it.

 _"_ _Why are you doing this?" she whispered. "Whatever you saw, I'm not a threat like that. The more you taunt me, however, the more I will begin to become a threat."_

 _The Emperor smiled toothily._

 _"_ _Good. So you understand how_ _insignificant_ _you have become. You have fallen under a shadow of anonymity. You have seen all of your friends die. You struggle with your desire to remain a Jedi and your desire for revenge. You must realize this, however: The Jedi Order is no more; your friends are gone; and you have nothing to which you can return."_

Luke was uncertain what he was about to find in this charred ghost ship, but he ventured further toward the central hallway. He wanted more. Again, perceptive little R2 had found the next breadcrumb. This one the Jedi was a little more hesitant to pick up, but his determination led him to also handle a longer, heavier lightsaber that reeked of anger – not just Sheena's, but from its previous owners and all the deaths it had imposed. It screamed of defiance and madness and pain.

 _"_ _Join me, Sheena," a tall, grey-haired Sith urged, "and I will show you your true self. We will travel the stars and no one will stand in our way. I could teach you everything I know. My Master has seen your future. You have great potential if you but join us."_

 _Sweat coated Sheena's skin, and her breath came in ragged shocks of movement. Her captivity was wearing on her, but her voice was still confident. How many days had she been in the custody of the traitor, Count Dooku? Was she ever to find out the truth? She had gone through so much to reach this point. As a child, the Sith had stolen her from the Temple and sent to her another world, where she was raised with nothing but her visions to link her back to the Jedi. She didn't find her way back again until over a decade later, and now she was finally finding a place among her Force-wielding family. Was she ever to be left in peace?_

 _"_ _I've seen the future too, Count. I saw myself fighting against everything your supposed Master threw at me. I saw myself cutting down half a ship full of men trying to kill me."_

 _"_ _The Jedi will only bring you sorrow and ruin."_

 _"_ _They care about me."_

 _Dooku smirked._

 _"_ _If the Jedi care about you at all, then where are they?"_

This weapon he also engaged. The red blade pulsed heavily, as if filled with the blood of its victims, keening in despair.

 _"They're dead. All of them. The clones are everywhere. We saw them shoot down a padawan who was trying to escape."_

 _"What are you talking about?" Liam insisted. Sheena and Matri'a had just returned from investigating the burning Temple._

 _"There were Masters, Knights, padawans, and younglings. And they're burning the bodies. Some of them were shot down by blaster fire…others were cut down by a lightsaber."_

 _"Lightsaber?! Who?"_

 _Sheena ignored the question._

 _"We need to get out of here. We need to find Master Yoda, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padmé, and Matri'a's brother; hopefully, they all are safe. We need to find out exactly what happened."_

 _"Sheena," Mattie cut in quietly, her lekku moving as she shook her head sadly, "didn't Master Khan say that General Skywalker died in the Temple?"_

 _Her fiery glare loudly screamed 'lies!' The anger and sorrow were becoming too much to bear._

 _"Whoever did this will pay. Sidious will pay. His apprentice will pay."_

 _She turned away before her friends could see the passionate tears welling up. They couldn't be dead...not after everything. Not after she had fought so hard. She could feel the anger. With everything happening, those precious Codes were already melting into something meaningless._

Luke somberly latched this second, darker weapon to his belt beside the other. His hand rested on both for a moment as he contemplated their weight. Obi-Wan had told him once that his father was Sheena's dearest friend – comrades-in-arms and confidantes, soldiers for the glorious Jedi Order. She had faced Darth Vader in her darkest moments, only later finding out his true identity and eventually being consumed by the darkness with him. She knew what it was to have that reality shattered. Again, another layer of understanding was dawning on the learner. Despite his horror at learning Vader's apparent identity and the constant chaos of this perpetual fight, he always had his friends to lean back on. She had everything taken from her.

 _Vader slammed his body into the Jedi, causing her to trip over a step and drop her lightsaber. He raised his weapon for an overhead strike, but she used the Force to retrieve her lightsaber and scrambled away. She kicked his shin in the process, but that did her no good and gave her a rather sore foot; his legs were mechanical. What made it even more difficult was the mask; she couldn't see her opponent's expression and use it to anticipate his movements. One advantage, however, in his covering was that it seemed to hinder his movement somewhat. While he was an imposing and powerful fighter, his fake limbs and suit stiffened his movements and allowed for less flourish._

 _When did his injury happen to where he was still unused to fighting like this? Who was this man before he became Sidious' apprentice? Darth Vader just seemed to come out of nowhere around the fall of the Jedi. Maybe she wasn't aware because she was on Coruscant at the time. Maybe he was a Jedi Padawan who had been serving the Sith all along. Was it someone she knew?_

 _Having regained her footing and become more familiar with this man's fighting abilities, Sheena was able to hold her ground a bit more. She relied primarily on her usual fighting style, but, with the mood she was in, some extra flourishes and aggression were in order. There was something…familiar with how Vader fought, but she couldn't pinpoint it._

 _As the duelists circled each other, Sidious commented from his roost,_

 _"_ _The more you resist, the more you fall into your anger and the Dark Side. All you can do is embrace it."_

 _With a cry, Sheena lashed out at Vader's chest and apparently broke the seal of the suit. He almost instantly collapsed as his life source began to malfunction. Upon seeing that one foe was disabled and the other distracted, she bolted towards the exit, grabbing her utility belt on the way out without looking back. It wasn't worth it to stick around. She fled the dismal throne room that had taken Matri'a's life, but part of her would never leave. She came scarred; she left with a disease - the disease of the Dark Side. Her Masters had always said that, once you've taken a step towards the Dark Side, it's harder to not take another. She never truly understood until now._

Luke's footsteps faltered at a new, unwelcome sight. Even though he knew it was coming. The trail of blood.


	18. Trail of Blood

Trail of Blood

Luke's heart twisted into a knot at the sight of the blood. He followed it with uncertain footsteps, willing it to be his imagination. He knew two things for certain: Obi-Wan was dead and Sheena was an unstable loon. His sympathy for this lost soul crumpled under the weight of his dread in the next compartment. If she really killed Obi-Wan in cold blood, Luke's desire for forgiveness and salvation might reach its limit.

The trail of blood ended with a dried patch of red blooming on the floor. Wreckage littered the space, including the bulkhead he recalled pinning his master to the ground and leaving him at Sheena's mercy. The shard that had caused the most apparent injury lay at his feet – a three-foot-long piece of metal pipe with a crusty scarlet stain on one end. The young Jedi knelt with his shaking hand pressed firmly against the flooring.

"Ben. Why did you bring me here? What did she do? Why does it need to be me?"

" _It's alright, Sheena. I know how conflicted you are. And I know you can fight it. You can just leave me. My time was over long ago." With a vicious flick, her lightsaber shot into existence, its blade glowing furiously against the growing flames. She finally met his gaze. Obi-Wan was pinned down, injured, unable to escape even if he wanted. "Sheena…"_

 _So easy. The Jedi were gone, Liam was gone. She needed release, resolution, an end! Why shouldn't it be the end of someone who's life was already forfeit?_

" _It's pointless, Obi-Wan. You and I both knew it would come to this."_

" _Sheena."_

" _I warned you, but you wouldn't listen. I'm doing both of us a favor."_

" _I'm sorry, Sheena."_

" _So am I. I'm not like you, Obi-Wan. I can't just move on like nothing happened." She shifted her grip, holding the weapon aloft. "I can still hear it. The Emperor telling me to kill you. Even now."_

" _I know."_

 _Her whole body trembled while tears of unbearable frustration streaked abundantly down her dust-coated cheeks. All imaginations of control and peace were scattered with her shattered hopes._

" _I want it to be over. I'm tired."_

" _I know."_

 _Sheena slowly lowered the humming blade, holding it off to the side at the ready. Its ruby glow reflected irritably against their sweating brows through the thickening smoke. The circles under her eyes were a dark void, making it impossible to ignore her pain._

" _It's over, Obi-Wan. Everything. I want to be done fighting. I'm just tired," she repeated, her voice cracking._

 _Obi-Wan reached up, determined to save this woman from herself, even if it was his final act._

" _Sheena, leave me."_

" _You know what?" Her jaw tensed. "No."_

 _Eyes suddenly back into focus, the frazzled lady hoisted the lightsaber and slammed it down on the bulkhead pinning her mentor to the floor before sending the tainted hilt bouncing across the room. Effortlessly, she lifted the heavy piece of equipment with the Force and discarded it. Obi-Wan was still crumpled on the floor and she finally noticed the long metal rod protruding from his side. No way she could get him out with it there._

" _I might lose the only two people who really had faith in me in one day. That's just wonderful."_

 _She rolled her eyes, bending down to examine the damage._

" _You're injured," Obi-Wan blinked._

 _Sheena touched the sticky wound on her own head, but gave it no further thought._

" _Look who's talking."_

" _Sheena, the smoke. You have to leave me."_

" _No," she chirped sternly. A rare moment of utter purpose and clarity, she wasn't passing it up. "I might hate myself later, but I've made a decision. I'm sick of having Fates dictated to me and being told I'm a disappointment. Now, do me a favor and don't bite your tongue. This will hurt. A lot."_

 _The man groaned loudly when Sheena slid the shard from his ribs and created a makeshift bandage from part of her robe._

" _I know I'm a disappointment. You know, I used to have these visions. Never could make sense of them, but I found out years later that I had been seeing Anakin's fall to the Dark Side and should have, could have, would have stopped it."_

 _In the precious seconds between these tasks, the smoke condensed into a toxic soup and the blood congealed into a tacky pool. By the time she finally got around to moving the patient, both were suffering from coughing fits._

" _I was told the Emperor kidnapped me from the Temple and shipped me off to a planet where the Force was never even heard of because I was going to be this great threat."_

 _Another moment was spent as she stripped off her robe, shifted Obi-Wan onto it as a makeshift stretcher, and forcibly handed him a salvaged breathing mask. She heaved herself backward, dragging Kenobi through a clear path over the metallic floor._

" _Then, I get brought back after he went through all that trouble, and he's still after me because he's a paranoid psychopath!" she sputtered, the burning air barely pausing her rant. "He could have just left well enough alone."_

 _Finally, they were within sight of the airlock, but Obi-Wan was still losing blood through the bandage._

" _But no. I become a miserable wreck, lose everything I ever cared about, lose credit on both sides because I apparently couldn't let you die in the first place, and now, I'm stuck on a rock in the middle of nowhere because I'm trying to save your life! So don't even think of lecturing me, General Kenobi!"_

Panicked that he might lose sight of the vision, Luke jogged to the shattered airlock, eyes fixed on the spectral duo.

 _With a vicious wrenching motion, she used the Force to tear open the busted door and dragged Obi-Wan into the blessedly fresh air. She continued until they were at a fairly safe distance before pausing and seeing her friend's pale complexion._

" _No, no, no, you don't get to die." She checked his pulse and bandage. "You know, I used to look up to you. Anakin was one of my best friends, but, since my Master was dead, you sort of took me under your wing. Maybe we could have done it if we trusted each other and our instincts more – saved the day and stopped Sidious? Obi-Wan, we're not done with this discussion. You stay put, you hear?!"_

 _Taking the breather for herself, she plunged back into the burning ship. Any moment now, something could explode and take her out with it. No luck with the living quarters – angry, hot flames prevented her from getting even near them. Back in the cockpit, there was a first aid kit, a flask of water, and a datapad. No time for more. She bolted out the door just in time for the second engine to explode. On the positive side, once the fire burned itself out, there was a chance they'd be able to salvage more from the main hold, but the back half of the craft was obliterated._

 _Finally taking a full breath, Sheena went to work on assessing her supplies. She grabbed the water flask and a few bacta patches to clean Obi-Wan's wound, but he wouldn't let her even see it. She tried prying his hand from the leaking bandage, but he merely shook his head. Propped comfortably against this desert rock, he appeared ready to take a light nap._

 _After a few seconds, Sheena gave up and sat back with a huff, distracting herself with the supplies - emergency kit, water, lightsaber, and datapad. She bounced the lightsaber in her hand for a moment. The other one was somewhere in the belching ship. Maybe it was fitting that this should join it. Not like she ever had the right to use it. Clutching it fondly one last time, the former Jedi chucked it at the cooking cruiser. Never brought her good luck anyway._

 _The datapad was barely functioning, thanks to the impact. No connection to the outside world, only the last message blinking up at her. The message informing her that her last link to sanity was lying dead somewhere, alone. Rage filled her at the thought. People who had faith in her seemed to always die. She was never able to save them, and most of the time, it seemed she was the cause of their fates. The datapad also went flying out into the desert._

" _You're wrong."_

 _Sheena flinched, startled from her self-loathing musing. Obi-Wan seemed to have recovered from the smoke at least, though there still was the little matter of the probably rather deep puncture wound. She scowled, ceasing her busywork to look back at the rising sun. What a desolate place. Unlikely for help to come anytime soon. Not counting whoever shot them down. She didn't reply until she had retrieved a large bush to strip for firestarter. The sun seemed unlikely to warm them too soon, and the ship fire was starting to die out._

 _"About which part? Should I start a list?"_

" _You're not as lost as you believe."_

" _And you're delusional." She viciously tore at the bush. Anything to keep her busy._

" _None of what Liam and I believed matters in the end. What matters is what you believe for yourself. It is your decision, your belief, and your faith that will bring you to your own path. It is up to you to do is decide what to do with what has been set before you. The rest will come in time. This is not the end, Sheena, simply an opportunity for a new beginning."_

 _She turned her frown on Obi-Wan._

" _After everything the Emperor did to make me weak. After everything he did to break me and twist me into his own creation. After I abandoned all hope of a friendly face – being tainted. After I finally resigned myself to killing you someday. Here you are, dying on some forsaken planet, and it's all I can do to keep you alive." She snorted with disdain. "You know what I used to hope for? A death with meaning. Even that was taken from me, denied by Vader and the Rebels alike. You call that a new beginning? You might be right, but what if you're wrong? I'm tired of uncertainty."_

" _I know."_

 _At least the breeze was blowing the last bits of smoke away. Obi-Wan held her gaze, his breathing becoming more labored with each passing moment. Sheena closed her eyes._

"' _You were my brother, Anakin.' If I only knew what those visions meant. But I didn't listen because it was so ludicrous – the very thought of Anakin falling from the Light. We had expectations that none of us could meet. He was my brother too, you know." A few more tears escaped. "You both were. We all failed. We should have been able to do something. I failed."_

" _I know, my dear friend. We all failed."_

" _For so long, I've had Jedi or Sith telling me what to do. Maybe you're right. Maybe it's my turn to decide. After all you tried to do for me…" Something was wrong. "Obi-Wan?"_

 _Silence._

 _Tears streamed down Sheena's face from exhaustion and loneliness. All gone. Finished. Her only small comfort was the growing warmth of the hazy red sun, the void the Emperor's voice had once occupied, and knowing that Obi-Wan was one with the Force at last. Maybe there was hope. For the first time in a long time, her mind was her own._

"Sheena did not kill me, Luke." Obi-Wan's ghostly figure replaced the vision. The old man stood over his own fresh grave, hand stroking his beard in thought. "The war over her mind may never be truly over, but she won a great victory."

Luke stood on the other side of the mound, shaking his head.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because you had to see for yourself. Life tests you. Every day, it brings you new chances for triumph or defeat. And if you pass the test, it doesn't make you a Jedi. It makes you human."

"You've said that before."

"A great piece of wisdom from a great man. My own master, Qui-Gon, had his own brushes with the Dark Side. Had he lived a longer life, many things may have turned out differently. Sheena has been changed by her encounters with darkness. But the Force isn't simply about the dark and light. It's about the light shining through the darkness. There is a lesson here that may aid you in the days to come, when you too must face the darkness."

Luke didn't need to look up to know Ben had pulled his disappearing trick again. The dead man was right though. It was about more than just the choice between darkness and light. He knew now more than ever that Sheena needed help – maybe on her own terms, but still help. She needed to know she still wasn't alone. She needed to find her own way.

The Jedi reached out through the Force, but she was long gone. Before landing, his scanners had picked up a settlement that might provide a clue, but he still had the Rebellion to tend to. And his search for Han. And his own path. It seemed this task would take longer than predicted, but he knew now that not everything was as black and white as he once believed.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed! Please favorite, follow, and review!


	19. Rescued Mind

Thank you to those who have followed and favorited this story! And thank you to zoegrover for beta-ing! Please enjoy.

Rescued Mind

Chewbacca pounded on the door of his cell, howling in protest at being stuck in this dingy, wet, putrid cell. Yes, he volunteered to help save Han Solo. Yes, the others convinced him he would stick out, and the only way to get him inside was as a prisoner, especially considering the bounty on his head. Yes, he had been getting more restless by the day and wanted his friend back. None of that meant he had agreed to be tossed into solitary confinement. This was a little too similar to that time they were trapped in a garbage chute on the Death Star. Dark, smelly, and claustrophobic.

The Wookie lost track of how long he wailed before it died down to a mourning whimper. He didn't like being alone, and he was worried about Han and Leia and Luke. He wanted to help. He could hear his own whines echoing in the empty halls, patrolled only by a few guards and occupied by the occasional prisoner. But something caused the giant to snap out of his distraught state.

"Chewbacca? Is it you?"

Chewie cleared the short span from the door to the little barred window separating him from the next dim cell. He could barely make out the figure sitting on the floor against the wall. He couldn't go to her, but he could still hear the occasional sigh, the shift of shackles, and the scuff of a heel on the stone floor.

Chewie called out to the strange woman, pressing his face against the bars.

"How did you get here, Chewie?"

He gave her a brief overview of the rescue mission in progress, then returned the question. Last he'd heard, Sheena Lerann had disappeared after being sent on a recruiting mission and surviving a crash that took Obi-Wan Kenobi's life.

"I got here about two months ago. Took me a while to get here. The bounty hunter owed another bounty hunter who owed a drug lord who…well, you get the idea."

Chewie sniffed at the air, suspicious that her scent wasn't nearly as rancid as the other prisoners. She picked up on the action and laughed lightly.

"There's a leak in the fresh water system that runs through my cell. Makes for a surprisingly decent bath. It helps that I haven't been in here the entire time."

Never one for standing on ceremony, the Wookie asked why the Hutt had left her in a cell rather than putting her on display.

"He hasn't decided what to do with me other than showing me off to an occasional business partner." Chewie heard the rattling of metal against metal again. "I picked up a fancy Force suppression necklace along the way. But, after I managed to pick the lock once, he's too scared to keep me on one of those leashes – afraid I might strangle him."

There was a moment of silence, during which he took time to look around his rocky cage. Nothing useful but a few bones he could maybe clobber someone with. Finally, the dim figure arose and joined him at the window, reaching up to grasp the bars to steady her legs. A dark tunic hung on her emaciated frame, its gaping neckline displaying the full brunt of her crinkled scars. Luke said she got them from the Emperor. A thick black metallic collar encompassed her throat, and matching double-linked bands adorned her wrists. They gave off a hum just above most creatures' range of hearing. The soulful blue eyes that looked up at him were framed by black hair trying to escape a short ponytail.

"You know about Master Kenobi?" Her neighbor let out a sorrowful moan. "Maybe Luke already told you, but I want to say it anyway, while I can: I tried to save him. I did try, and I'm sorry I couldn't do more. I've had a lot of time to think. The past couple of years have involved me doing quite a bit of groveling, crying, and complaining. I've had to reassess things, I suppose. I just hope I don't get fed to one of Jabba's pets before I figure it out."

And now? Chewie cocked his head questioningly, prying a warm smile from her despite the paleness of her hollow cheeks.

"Still thinking."

With another soft sigh, she leaned her head against her arm and fell silent, seemingly just enjoying the friendly company. Chewie felt a little better too.

* * *

"I admit. I was wrong." The navigation officer turned to stare dumbly at his compatriot, who was leaning against a nearby bulkhead on the bridge. Nightshift meant a skeleton crew, at the moment. "What?"

Ghent chuckled, painting on a lopsided grin while quickly doublechecking their coordinates.

"Just, you never think you're wrong."

"Because most of the time, I'm not," the blonde shot back, sipping her coffee as she stepped forward to gaze through the window.

"Lieutenant Kyra admitting she was wrong," he dramatically sighed. "There's something for the history books."

"Shut up." Despite the course dressing down, she couldn't help but laugh. "Master Kenobi's plan worked, in the end. I certainly won't be admitting it to Liam…" She cleared her throat, catching her slip of the tongue. News of Lieutenant Onasi's demise had hit everyone hard, especially the crew of the _Intrepid_. The cruiser had been one of his more frequent bases between missions. Despite it being a year since they heard the news, it still felt far too fresh, and his presence never truly dissipated. Kyra purposefully redirected the conversation. "Pirates traded her off to get some bounty hunter off their case, apparently. Skywalker interrogated the locals, but she was long gone by the time he reached the crash site. He said she tried to save Kenobi's life though, so that's worth something. Nice to see a little hope in the galaxy, once in a while."

"Well, we're getting closer to defeating the Empire by the day," Ghent nodded. "Don't let any reports or battle logs tell you otherwise."

Kyra shook her head.

"There's no end to your optimism, is there?"

"The Empire only wins when we give up hope. Even if I'm ever captured by the Imperials or death is certain, I won't give them the satisfaction of thinking they broke me. They can take everything else, but they won't take my spirit."

"Hope, eh? You know what Skywalker said? Said he'd find her, no matter what it took, that he owed her his life a hundred times over. What do you say to that?"

Ghent casually went back to his scans.

"I say he'll find her."

* * *

"You parked her in the desert?! Do you know what those sandstorms could do to the engines? Do you know how many times I've had to adjust the calibration on the navigation because some debris hit one of those instruments?"

Captain Solo had gone off on a tangent the second the crew rounded the corner to reveal the _Falcon_ and Luke's fighter parked at the base of cliff.

"Hey, we were trying for some subtly," Lando defended congenially. "We thought landing in a registered shipyard would tip off Jabba and his goons. We saved you, didn't we?"

The former conman had to laugh as Han nearly walked face first into the hydraulic brace of the ramp leading into the ship. His eyesight wasn't quite fully recovered from the carbonite sickness. Chewbacca's chatty howl made him abandon the effort though.

"Go back?!" Han hollered. "Are you crazy, Chewie? Do you realize what we just got out of?"

The Wookie continued to demand that they go back 'for her'.

"Hold on," Lando interrupted. "Who are you talking about, big guy? I'm pretty sure we picked up everyone."

Then Chewie finally got to explaining that he had a neighbor in his cell at the palace, and who that neighbor was. Luke, who had been prepping his own craft, shot back down to the larger party.

"Wait, Chewie, did you say _Sheena_ was at Jabba's?" Yes. "Is she still there?" Yes. With a sense of desperation, the young Jedi shot back to his fighter as fast as the sand would allow. He turned back just as R2 was settling in. "Get Han settled and make any preparations you need for takeoff. I'll be back before dark." He paused. "I gotta find her."

"We know," Lando hollered. "Just go already!"

* * *

"I knew you'd come."

Breaking into Jabba's palace and finding the right cell hadn't been difficult. The place was still in an uproar after Jabba's assassination. The forgotten prisoner, however, was still curled up in the corner of her chamber, exuding a sense of uncertain anticipation. Luke lowered himself onto the damp floor a few feet from Sheena, trying to set the scene for a calm encounter.

"Of course I came. You protected me, so it's only fair I return the favor at least once."

"Why are you trying to save me?" she asked quietly, brow furrowed. "I killed the closest thing you had to a father."

"Is that what you remember now?" Sheena looked away uncertainly. "Well, you're wrong. I went to the crash, and I talked Obi-Wan – he says hello, by the way – and I know for a fact that you tried everything to save him before the end. Do you remember that?" The woman slowly nodded. "As for my father…" Luke took a moment to massage his temples. It was becoming more apparent that he needed to return to Master Yoda and resolve these issues of his parentage, but he had decided Sheena was not to be subjected to his inquisition. This was about her. "I haven't been just a passive bystander, you know. I'm in this too. Remember your time on Dantooine? It's not all about black or white, pain or passivity. You found balance – remember that, and remember you're not alone."

"You're wrong."

The denial actually encouraged the younger Jedi because he could sense her hesitation.

"I'm not, and you know it. Liam…"

"I know. He's dead." She leaned her head back against the wall, exhaling slowly. "I was the one who told him where the clones might be. I as good as signed his death notice. As for Obi-Wan… Maybe I don't hear the Emperor telling me to kill him anymore, but the darkness is still there. You talk about balance, but it's hard to find balance when you don't have an anchor. Maybe Liam could have been my anchor, but now, I'm just floating with nothing to hold onto, nothing but the memories and two halves of myself – the Light and Dark – ripping at each other."

"Hey." Luke grabbed her hand tightly, shocking her back to reality. "You feel my hand? Hold onto that." She obediently squeezed his fingers. "Tighter, Sheena. You are not alone. Now, reach out to me with the Force." He felt her mind stretching out, painfully, as though rehabilitating a torn muscle. "Now, reach farther. Chewie's out there, and Han, Leia, and Lando. Losing people is a part of life. You may have lost Liam, but you're never truly alone if you just let us in. Reach out. Remember Dantooine. You don't have to force yourself to become something you're not; just take one step at a time. The first step is the hardest, but now is the time to take back your identity for yourself."

He retrieved her lightsabers from his bag and offered them with his free hand – his other hand was securely held hostage by the deceptively older woman. Her eyes widened at the sight of the heirlooms.

"How did…?"

"I told you you're not alone, Sheena. I think Ben's looking out for you too." He smiled at her uncertainty. "First step. Come with me."

She shrank back, but he was patient. With steady movements, he reached out and removed the Force-suppression devices.

"The Emperor – he'll find me and use me, just as he did before. I don't want to cause any more harm."

"If he does find you, we'll be ready. Until the Emperor is gone, we're not taking risks. You're not a nameless asset; you're a hero."

Wide eyes stared up at the young Skywalker, studying his face for what seemed an hour. Then, she blinked a few times and allowed him to help her stand, still watching him with an inscrutable gaze. That shimmer of clarity was bubbling to the surface again, and she seemed to make a decision. Finally,

"Your parents would have been proud. They were the heroes."

It was Luke's turn to stand in a stupor as Sheena took her weapons, straightened her shoulders, and exited the cell without further ceremony.

* * *

 _As the_ Millenium Falcon _came into view, Luke could sense Sheena's returning apprehension for what was to come and the impending loneliness._

 _"Reach out to me," he interjected soothingly, and he felt her instantly respond as she pulled back to reality. "Feel my presence. Remember, I'm alive because of you. The others might be gone, but I'm right here. Even from lightyears away, you can always find me and know you're not alone. Besides, as you're about to find out, there are lots of people ready to help."_

 _"What will I do?"_

 _"Live. It's all you need to do."_

 _She paused, and he could sense her steeling herself for this step._

 _"Do you think the Rebels will let me help still?"_

 _Luke grinned._

 _"You bet they will."_

Sheena Lerann smiled to herself as the _Millenium Falcon_ 's occupants crowded into the cockpit after breaking orbit. Chewie had given her a big bearhug, while Leia was currently wrapping a blanket around the veteran's shoulders.

"I'll meet you back at the fleet," came Luke's voice through the speakers. Sheena reached out to him through the Force, comforted when he responded.

"Hurry," Leia replied. "The Alliance should be assembled by now."

"I will."

"Hey, Luke, thanks," Captain Solo added, still blinking at the lights with his recovering eyesight. "Thanks for coming after me. I owe you one."

"Well, for a start you can keep Master Lerann out of trouble."

"Already on it," Lando said cheekily, handing a hot drink to a surprised Sheena.

Sheena wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders and breathed in the steam from the drink while leaning against the doorway, observing the warmth of the cozy space – a term she never would have imagined for a ship's cockpit. Lando solidly planted Han back down onto the passenger seat before taking the pilot chair for himself. Chewie chuckled not at all subtly at his best friend's scowl while plotting their course. Leia gave Han a peck on the cheek before suggesting to Sheena that they get her cleaned up a bit.

"Sheena, are you alright?" the princess whispered.

Sheena wiped away the tear that was making a surprise trail down her dust-coated cheek, still distracted by the ease and hospitableness infusing the room. These people cared so much about each other in the face of utmost adversity, and a pang went through her chest as she recalled a time when she had been surrounded by such love. But, as she looked at these people so keen on giving her what she perceived to be an undeserved second chance, the former Jedi realized, a warm pit forming in her chest, that there really was hope.

"Yeah. I'm alright."


	20. Allies

Thanks to zoegrover for the invaluable beta-reading and to 'Guest' for the most-appreciated review! Officially two more chapters to go!

Allies

Lando looked upward to his latest acquaintance as he finished powering down the _Millennium Falcon_. Sheena Lerann was staring out at the landing bay on the _Redemption_ , the Alliance's medical frigate, with a bored expression; but she pulled the blanket over her shoulders tighter, nonetheless. The scoundrel remained mute, studying her expression until she stirred when their companions began dispersing: Leia with a few senior officers; and Han and Chewie, who refused to leave his partner's side, escorted to the infirmary.

"They're good people," he quipped. "You alright, sweetheart?"

Her attention flicked to him with an amused uptick of the corners of her lips. During their voyage back to the fleet, she had somewhat put herself back together, with Leia's help. Her silky black hair was in a short ponytail, and the circles under her eyes were a little less prominent.

"Lando, right?"

"The one and only!" he grinned back. "You might look like a pretty little lady, but I've seen enough to recognize an old soldier. And I've heard enough from Skywalker. It'll never really go away, but you've found people you will stand with you. Like I said, they're good people."

"I'd like to go to the _Intrepid_ , if it's all the same to you." Lando raised an eyebrow. "I have some unfinished business there."

"May I ask what exactly that business would be?" The woman didn't immediately respond, but he caught on after a moment. "Lieutenant Onasi served on that ship on occasion, yes?"

"If I'm going to be useful, it might as well be there," she nodded, strength coming back into her voice.

"Tell you what. You spend a few days here to get medical attention, let the doctors check you out, get a little strength back, and give yourself a break. Then, I will _personally_ ferry you to the _Intrepid_. Deal? If someone tries to stop you, just use one of those mind tricks on them."

She rolled her eyes.

"That only works on the weak-minded."

"That's why I usually stick with a blaster, sweetheart – much more effective." The lady sniffed a laugh, and Lando finally stood from the pilot seat. "If you let me come along, we might be able to sneak something from the commissary on our way."

She crossed her arms in thought, her shell finally cracking a bit.

"Only if it means I don't have to talk to anyone."

"Deal. And I'm getting you the biggest meal you've ever seen. Trust me, the first thing the doctors are going to do is complain about how skinny you are, little lady."

* * *

She had been poked, prodded, quizzed, and practically force-fed until the doctors aboard the _Redemption_ were satisfied that she wasn't going to expire on the spot or do anything stupid. At last, they left her alone in a quiet corner on a not uncomfortable cot. But, after nearly three days of being pestered and told to stay put, the former Jedi was beginning to go stir-crazy. She had tolerated their concerns; now, she had other things to consider.

Sheena wrapped the white robe provided by the nurse tightly around her frame and snuck out into the hall to an adjacent room with a window. Despite the deadly vacuum, the sight of the stars at least gave her the illusion of open air. Her fingers tapped distractedly against her protruding collarbone in thought. Maybe she was a little on the skinny side, but they made it sound like she should be ravenous from starvation. On the contrary, food seemed simply an inconvenient necessity that she only remembered most of the time because of other people badgering her. These past months all seemed like a blur – being passed around from bounty hunter to holding cell to cargo hold until the former hero had landed at Jabba's palace. Time had passed between transport and captivity like a hazy dream that was only interrupted by her nightmares. Food passed her lips with no more of an impression than air. The past was an unkind companion, at times.

Maybe it was a good thing now that she had people harassing her about these basic human needs. Liam and Obi-Wan weren't around to keep her in check emotionally anymore; at least there were people to watch after her physical and mental wellbeing. They seemed to have learned, the Rebels, that it was better to leave her be when she needed space – the doctors here, funnily enough, were quite insistent on giving her that space on the condition that she talk to one of them on occasion. She thought it might be helping the nightmares, but it was too soon to tell. Maybe it would be alright.

"You seem well."

Obi-Wan. Sheena glanced in the reflection of the glass at her old friend in his Force Ghost form. It was strange to see him so at peace.

"I wouldn't go that far, but it's enough to know I can have a purpose. Seeing them have such faith in me and so determined to give me a second chance after all I've done is jarring. I don't deserve a second chance, but I've been given one anyway. It would be a waste for me to not take it, especially after everything you and Liam did to bring me this far."

"I'd say 'I told you so', but it might come back to haunt me," the man jested. "You have greatly helped Luke in finding his path and, in the days to come, I believe he will be equipped to make the right decisions."

She stared at the Ghost's reflection with renewed intensity.

"You're going to tell him? About his father?"

"I believe he is ready to know everything."

"He'd better be. I can sense the Emperor's anticipation – he has something up his sleeve."

"The Emperor has always had a talent for the unexpected, but this time," Master Kenobi whispered, "so do we."

* * *

"What do you mean you don't want a pistol? Don't tell me you're one of those people who thinks guns are uncivilized."

"Lieutenant, I don't exactly need it."

Sheena put her hands on her waist, effectively displaying both lightsabers on her belt. Lieutenant Kyra's face dropped in embarrassment before she promptly stashed away the gun.

"Oh. Well, I'll at least show you your quarters." She continued talking while leading Sheena down the hall. "Much more comfortable than your previous accommodations here, I can assure you. While we wait for the rest of the fleet to reach the rendezvous, feel free to wander as you like. I'm sure there will be plenty to do, once the time comes."

"I hear we're back on the warpath," the older woman commented, casually studying her surroundings. Kyra's jaw tightened.

"We're ending this thing. Reports and strategies are coming together. We're taking out the new Death Star, the Emperor, all of it. The Alliance is no longer a straggling guerilla attack group; it's high time we stopped acting like it. They're doing the briefing in an hour; then, we get our orders. It sounds like the _Intrepid_ is going in to protect the medical frigate, but we'll all be taking heavy fire."

"You're wise not to take this surprise attack for granted."

"None of us are." Sheena paused at that with a quizzical look. "You may have gotten lots of mixed impressions on the Rebels, their intentions, and their resolve, Master Lerann. But the fact is that all of us are going into this battle knowing it could be our last."

"Sounds like most of my days," the Jedi chuckled grimly. It was Kyra's turn to pause. It was the first real one-on-one encounter for the two women that didn't involve interrogation, tricks, or suspicion.

"I feel like I should thank you."

"For what?"

The lieutenant stopped at a window and waited for a few pilots to pass.

"When the Republic fell, I was still just a kid. My parents were space traders, so we rarely got in the middle of the fighting. But we did see Jedi, on occasion, and I was always amazed by them – their courage, kindness, and wisdom. They were the heroes that everyone could look up to, healers, helpers, and defenders of the weak. On the most dismal of moons, we would hear stories of the great Masters they had seen. About a year after the Republic fell and Jedi were outlawed, we accidentally got caught in the crossfire between troopers and a Jedi they had tracked. The Jedi gave herself up just to keep us from harm. She saved our lives."

"She stayed true to what the Jedi stood for," Sheena nodded. "There aren't many left that can say that."

"I know I can never thank that Jedi for what she did, but you Jedi are all a family, in a way. You may have distanced yourself from them, Master Lerann, but you're still part of that family. So, thank you, for everything you stood for."

The older woman shifted at the title of 'Master', but her face remained impassive. Kyra wondered if the implication or reminder of her past would upset her peer, but she eventually inclined her head respectfully.

"I was privileged to be among them." She seemed to shake off the sentimental moment. "Now, as for this upcoming fight. I want to help. If you need pilots for your fighters, I'm happy to sit behind a gun."

Kyra winced, having hoped Sheena wouldn't ask about helping in the actual fight. She couldn't really blame her for not wanting to be alone right now, however.

"I'm sorry, it's just…the doctors haven't cleared you yet for flight. We want your help, but, with the implications of this battle, we need as little variance as possible."

"And with my physical and mental uncertainties, you don't want to take a risk." Sheena subtly rolled her eyes as she filled in the blank. "Very well, but I still want something to keep my mind busy."

"Join me on the bridge. We'll watch the briefing from there. Then, the fun shall begin."


	21. Resurrection

As always, thank you zoegrover for beta-reading (Shameless plug: Fantastic writer, by the way)! Enjoy!

Resurrection

After a day of waiting for the alleged fun to begin, the Rebel fleet responded to their cue and plunged headfirst into the decisive battle.

She could feel the conflict on the Death Star through the Force – Luke's desperate fight to remain grounded, Vader's uncertainty, and the Emperor's confidence in his own genius. That was all Sheena allowed herself to sense, however. She still felt too vulnerable to the Emperor's cunning and Vader's pain. She wasn't sure how resistant she would be to their influence with them physically so near, and she had no wish to undermine Luke's mission.

The battle, well, could have been going better. The Imperials had surprised the fleet with both an operational battle station and a sizeable fleet of their own. Sheena was helping to track the flurry of scans and reports flying into the _Intrepid_ 's bridge computers. Fighters were falling left and right. The medical frigate they had been ordered protect was even taking a beating. They were simply holding out for the hope that the shield would be taken out sooner rather than later. This was, more likely than not, their only chance.

Sheena Lerann sensed the blast a split-second before their main starboard engine was pulverized. Crewmen and equipment alike went toppling from the ricocheting shudder rippling through the ship. A flurry of reports came in regarding life support, navigation, fire suppression, and inertial dampening, among other things. None of them were good. In the moment of silence that followed, the entire ship seemed to be holding its breath as the occupants awaited their fate. Four words echoed over the comm system: _All hands, abandon ship_.

There was one problem with this order: There wasn't time. The explosion had knocked them onto a course headed straight for Endor's atmosphere, and their shields were one of the things about to collapse. With everyone focused on a futile escape, there was a choice to make. She wouldn't be able to stop the ship's descent, but there was an Imperial bomber they could take out on the way down. They just needed time.

Every crewman on this ship was trained for a task. They all had their respective jobs to do. They weren't paying much attention to the ex-Jedi taking position at the window, looking straight on at their projected doom.

* * *

Luke watched the _Intrepid_ 's engines explode, sending the ship veering off-course towards the atmosphere.

"As you can see, my young apprentice," the Emperor crooned, "your friends have failed. Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station. Fire at will, Commander."

Shooting his attention back to the battle, the young Jedi reached out desperately in hope of somehow warning his allies. He felt Sheena enshrouded amongst the destruction of the ship he had just seen disabled. But just as he sensed her intentions, she pushed him away. There was no hope of a warning to save them from this fate.

* * *

Lieutenant Kyra gasped and froze for a moment along with the rest of the fleeing crew. With their flight deck open to allow for their shuttles' departure, they had a full view of the scene. In a flash of green light, one of their friendly battlecruisers was reduced to nothing but dust and wreckage. She tried to recall how many souls had been onboard, but another explosion in the lower decks of their own vessel set things back in motion.

"D'lani! Get that shuttle filled! Now! I want everyone off this deck in thirty seconds!"

Trained as they were, the crew did not fail in their task. Shuttles and fighters alike were packed, escape pods were ejected by those on the farther decks, and not a single soul was left aboard the _Intrepid_. As she stepped aboard the last remaining transport, a pit of worry filled the lieutenant's stomach. Her captain's orders from nearby caught Kyra's attention.

"Report!"

"Escape pods have launched," the technician chirped. "Reports are coming in. It's all clear. All crew accounted for, including the wounded."

All accounted for. Master Lerann must have made it to one of the other transports. With a sad sense of finality, the shuttle bearing the command crew lifted off from their beloved cruiser for the last time.

* * *

Aboard General Ackbar's vessel, all hell had broken loose. Orders were flashing left and right, reports were flying in, and hope was dimming. Everything depended on that shield going down, and they had mere minutes before the tide of this battle would become irreversible.

"What is the status of the _Intrepid_?"

"She's going down! We just received word all hands have evacuated."

"Tell the medical frigate to expect more casualties. And inform Captain Satil that he is to send out his remaining fighters the moment those people are transported. That frigate must be protected, even without his ship." Another blast shook the floor. "We need more firepower, or that Star Destroyer may never go down!"

"Sir!"

The command crew jerked toward the comm officer, whose face was knit tightly with confusion.

"What is it, Mickie?"

"Sir, listen."

He flipped a switch, allowing everyone in the room to hear the new voice.

" _Woohoooo! We're coming, General! Let's show 'em we still got it, boys. All units, focus everything on that destroyer!"_

"Sir!" another tech shouted. "Two – three – _four_ ships just dropped out of lightspeed and are engaging the enemy!"

* * *

She had asked for a way to help. A way to contribute. A way to redeem herself. This isn't exactly what she had in mind, but it would do. What place was there, really, for her in the new order Luke was destined to bring about? The best she could do was make sure her ultimate legacy was something to be proud of, and not ashamed of. If this was it, then very well. She would help save Liam's beloved crew, even if he wasn't here to see it. She would do it in his memory – a selfless, final legacy.

Sheena Lerann wasn't as strong in the Force as perhaps Yoda or Luke, but she didn't need to be for this. It wasn't like she was trying to move a planet – just give her own ship a little nudge. The Jedi had managed to steady the _Intrepid_ 's descent enough for her bare satisfaction – the shallower glide meant more time for any stragglers to evacuate. It just needed a little more.

With a scream of frustration – at herself, at the Emperor, maybe at the whole galaxy – Sheena shifted the nose of the doomed cruiser just enough to point directly at one of the Empire's prized bombers. She was shaking with the mental and physical effort, but it was enough. She had done it. If this was her final act, at least it had been for good. But then came Obi-Wan's voice.

"Run, Sheena. Run!"

It was not her time, after all. The voice reminded her that she wasn't alone, even if the people she had cherished most were gone, she still had that second chance. It would be unfair to squander it, despite how appealing it sounded to step out of the constant battle with her own fears and sanity. She owed it to her friends, new and old.

With a huff, the woman shot out of the command deck, robes whipping around in her haste. The ship groaned and sighed as the shields gave out, leaving the hull helpless against the flying debris and the atmosphere below. She reached the nearest escape pods, only to find that they had all been launched. The next best thing was the flight deck, where she had to hope for something space-worthy left behind. Sheena ducked around to the next hall, her feet pounding down the empty corridors. She was within sight of the flight deck! Almost there!

With another groan, the support of her section gave out, causing the entire floor to drop about three feet. The runner tumbled forward, smashing into the frame of a doorway with the brunt of the weight being applied to her shoulder and head. Only a few seconds were spared to recover from the disorientating strike. There wasn't time to straighten her vision, see less than two of everything, and get a proper footing. She shoved herself upright, stumbling the last yards to the deck, and let out a strangled wheeze.

There were no shuttles or fighters left. Nothing. And with the woozy pounding in her temples from that fall, there was no way Sheena could make it to the other escape pod area at all, let alone before everything was incinerated. Staring blankly around at the haphazardly dropped crates and supplies, she sank to her knees. She could see the glow of the atmosphere against the forcefield. If this was how it was to end, why did Obi-Wan tell her to run? Well, if this was the end, she still had a responsibility to someone. Luke. She didn't need to try reaching out to feel Sidious' gloating. She could feel his plot to turn Luke to the Dark Side. She knew his pride and hunger for power knew no bounds. She couldn't let it happen to anyone else.

" _Luke,"_ she reached out to the boy, feeling him recoil in his mental torment as he tried to block out Vader. _"Don't make my mistakes, Luke_."

Another jolt reminded Sheena of her imminent doom and the pain beginning to radiate from her head and shoulder to the rest of her body. She curled up on the hard floor, closing her eyes to the flickering lights. If she was to die now, at least it was in confidence that she did it on her own terms. She had made a choice to save the same people she had once been tasked with hunting. She had done it as her own choice, without encouragement or provocation from any outside force. If she was to die, so be it. Maybe she would see Liam again.

Sheena imagined someone gently brushing her hair from her face – warm, strong hands. With just as much care, she was scooped up and enveloped in arms that made her feel safe. She wasn't lonely or scared – only home.

"I got you, sweetheart. Everything's gonna be okay."


	22. Among the Clouds

A/N: Many thanks to Ghost14lebi for the fabulous review and to zoegrover for beta-reading this story! And thank you for reading! Let your voices be heard for upcoming stories via the poll on my profile, and do enjoy!

Among the Clouds

Sheena Lerann had experienced her fair share of near deaths, but it had never resulted in actually dying. Was this what it was like? If so, it wasn't so bad. She was warm, comfortable, unafraid, and safe. No wonder Ben always seemed so nonchalant about the crises of the galaxy. She even thought she heard someone singing – the low rumbling of a man's voice humming a tune that pondered past days of glory and honor. If she just kept her eyes closed forever, maybe it would never stop.

But suddenly, she realized, she was _breathing_. A dead person didn't breathe. The singing had stopped at some point, but there was a pressure around her hand – warm, rough, and strong. She shifted under the weight, which tightened in response – not constricting, but reassuring. A voice spoke through the fog.

"I gotcha, sweetheart."

* * *

The clouds blanketing Endor's atmosphere were almost hypnotic with their slow swirls, the way the light danced off them, and the wisps of the dissipating outer edges. She certainly hadn't had the time to notice them while escaping an exploding ship in the middle of a space battle. But the battle was over now, at least for her. She had made her choice.

"So, is this something you ever pictured for yourself?"

Sheena turned from the window over her shoulder at the several white-haired clone troopers minding their posts on the bridge of their main vessel, the _Tano_. He had done it. While tracking down the current whereabouts of his deprogrammed clone buddies had taken him longer than expected – and almost cost him his life – he had actually done it. He found them and brought them to the fight just in time for the final showdown against the Emperor and his minions. There was still work for the Rebel Alliance, obviously, but the evil clutches behind the madness were loosened.

"Not in the least," she mused, pleasantly surprised when a clone smiled at her.

"They know a bit of what you've been going through," Liam Onasi noticed her puzzled expression. "They're old soldiers, remember? They've seen the horrors of war a hundred times over just during the Clone Wars. One of them called it shell shock." Sheena looked down, color rising in her cheeks. "They have quite the settlement on their moon. Now that the Empire's rule is effectively over, I'm sure it will be growing. They said we're welcome though, if we want." He chuckled. "These guys were just itching for an adventure when I crashed on their doorstep, so…"

The former Jedi shook her head with a bemused expression, wrapping her thick grey robe over her dual lightsabers.

"So?"

"The choice is yours."

Sheena took a moment, staring blankly out at the stars. A million thoughts with a million possibilities flooded her imagination, but only one thing mattered: The person who could share it with her. Her lips ticked upward. Here it was: Her second chance. The wartime compatriots could now be free.

"A nice quiet vacation sounds ideal. But I hear the Jaso sector is nice this time of year."

"You heard the lady, Tank."

"Yes, sir! I sent a message to the fleet," the navigation officer called out before noting, "And it looks like we're being hailed."

"Let's say goodbye, shall we?" Liam took a step forward, limping a little from his bad knee. "To what do we owe the pleasure, General?"

"Still sure you don't want to stick around for the cleanup?" came Lando Calrissian's smooth tease.

The Lieutenant chuckled, glancing at his long-time friend with a good-natured twinkle in his eyes.

"The invitation's appreciated, but I think we're all ready for retirement. Consider this my official resignation."

"Your loss. You take good care of that girl of yours, now. She's quite the catch."

"And you're lucky there's a vacuum of space between us for that comment," the older man jested. "Good luck and may the Force be with you."

"Alright, alright! She's all yours! Don't get yourself into too much trouble out there," the General quipped before signing off.

"Coordinates set, Tank?"

"Aye, sir," the clone reported, fingers hovering over the controls.

Liam twitched in surprise as Sheena slipped her hand into his. She trembled with excitement, fear, and a long-sought-after peace that was long overdue.

"We've come full-circle," she whispered. "I once dreamed that you and I would die at the hands of the clones; now, we have all come together as a final refuge."

"And we're all standing." He looked down at his favored leg, apparently injured on his quest for the clones. "Some better than others."

As he turned to give the order for lightspeed, he barely caught his companion's contemplative whisper. Her mind had wandered to some far-off place that he couldn't possibly imagine, but he was used to it by now.

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."

"What's that?"

A sad smile overcame Sheena and her grip tightened on his hand as she returned to reality.

"Just a memory from another life, a long time ago."

The End


End file.
